Eggplant Parmesan Deconstructed Recipe (2024)

A tip from Cook's Illustrated years ago recommends preparing the eggplant by slicing it, placing it on paper towels (they suggested coffee filters) and briefly cooking it in the microwave. Removes a lot of the water, prevents it from soaking up so much oil, and is much healthier, and also easier to prepare in any eggplant recipes.

Agreed! As such, I breaded the eggplant before frying (seasoned flour, egg wash, panko) and then made a tomato concasse with some lovely heirloom tomatoes instead of the sauce and added a touch of finely chopped garlic. Topped the eggplant with ricotta, concasse, and mozzarella, briefly warmed in a 350 degree oven and garnished with a chiffonade of basil. It was indeed tasty.

It was tasty but just as time consuming and messy as my regular eggplant parm.

Just finished making this again today. Broiled the eggplant slices, made a tomato concasse, much less time consuming the slicing all those cherry tomatoes in half, with same result. Had just made bread crumbs this AM, I was done in no time - maybe 25 mins. They are delish!

I cut my eggplant a bit thicker and, after the salting phase paint them with olive oil and grill them. Definitely ups their flavor. Slightly overlap slices in a gratin dish. Smear on the ricotta, top with Romano or Parmesan then the sauce and mozzarella. Bake till cheese is melted then top with the panko mix and serve. I also use frozen cherry tomatoes from my garden for the sauce.Thank you Melissa Clark for all the great recipe techniques you have published!!

Tasty though I did make the following changes: 1) Broiled the eggplant, about 5 minutes on each side. Turned out well and used significantly less oil than frying and also allowed me to make the sauce while the eggplant was cooking. 2) Used canned diced tomatoes for the sauce and added a bit of calabrian peppers for some heat. These changes allowed me to save a lot of time with cooking and still get what I think was the overall intent of the dish. Would make again!

Made this with TJ ‘s burrata and dried oregano because that is what I had. Still worked and super yummy!

In peak summer tomato and eggplant season. Made David Tanis’ quick fresh tomato sauce. While sauce was reducing, microwaved eggplant slices as suggested by one note here. Dipped the slices in masa corn flour and fried in oil. Added sliced mozzarella after flipping, then once melting, added tomato sauce. All in less than 45 minutes and no oven cooking! Delish!

After assembling the eggplant with sauce and mozzarella, I recommend putting it in the oven, just for mozzarella to melt.

I made this and loved it. The eggplant is fine without the breading. The tomato sauce with fresh garlic is wonderful. I actually don 't like Italian herbs, but this was great without them. Easy to warm up as leftovers and is still tasty.

Really delicious! Bake eggplant in oven with less oil.

I thought I invented this! I started making something similar with leftover pasta sauce. I peel the eggplant after not peeling it the first time. Then sprinkle the eggplant with salt and layer between paper towels. Spray a little olive oil on the eggplant and then grill outside. Top with your cheeses of choice--ricotta, mozzarella, burrata, parmesan--plus desired fresh herbs. No bread crumbs and not much olive oil. It is amazing and MUCH easier than the casserole.

Perfect!!! I only use recipes for springboards then go with what I've got on-hand. I have a lot - A LOT - of eggplant this year. I layered the eggplant, breadcrumbs roughly chopped, parmesan, Ragu combined with the avocado oil left in pan, freshly picked halved cherry tomatoes, lots of cut up fresh basil, more crumbs, bit of mozzerella, more tomato and basil, and Everything Bagel seasoning. Popped into microwave 20 seconds and yum!

This was sooo good and easier and less messy than dredging and frying. I used some canned diced tomatoes and jarred sauce; a little Italian seasong and fresh basil since I didn't have oregano. I didn't really follow the measurements. I don't think I needed that much oil for the eggplant. I used a lot more breadcrumbs. I put shredded mozzarella out of a bag directly on the eggplant since I didn't have ricotta. I made polenta and added goat cheese over it all. It was a very rich sexy dinner for 2.

I cut my eggplant a bit thicker and, after the salting phase paint them with olive oil and grill them. Definitely ups their flavor. Slightly overlap slices in a gratin dish. Smear on the ricotta, top with Romano or Parmesan then the sauce and mozzarella. Bake till cheese is melted then top with the panko mix and serve. I also use frozen cherry tomatoes from my garden for the sauce.Thank you Melissa Clark for all the great recipe techniques you have published!!

Though this is delicious as written, I make this a bit differently these days…As suggested I use Jamie Oliver’s recipe in the NYT for oven roasted eggplant - I use it all the time. I also roast the cherry tomatoes in the oven - they get so sweet and the tomato oil left behind is amazing! Then I use just about any cheese(s) I happen to have (if I’m out of mozzarella). Sometimes I add a dab of pesto. Yummmm

Too much trouble for too little taste, but it was rewarding to use my garden produce and herbs.

Made according to recipe —lovely creamy eggplant, sweet herby tomatoes, garlicky cheesy crunch of the panko, richness of the ricotta and mozzarella — but agree with other reviewers, it’s a bit fussy, and very busy at the last minute. Next time I will make sauce and breadcrumbs in advance, then the service event is just frying the slices and putting the toppings on.

Why do so many recipes, including this one, call for olive oil that's extra-virgin for sautéing? Regular old virgin and "light" olive oils actually have the higher smoke point preferred for frying - and are cheaper. Reminds me of the affectation of calling for kosher or "sea" salt in dishes that will be simmered or baked, rendering the type of salt used chemically indistinguishable.

I used the flour-egg-crumbs before frying.Keep slices to max 1/4 inch.Reheated on a pan in the oven at 450F for 10 minutes. Better reheated.

Tasty though I did make the following changes: 1) Broiled the eggplant, about 5 minutes on each side. Turned out well and used significantly less oil than frying and also allowed me to make the sauce while the eggplant was cooking. 2) Used canned diced tomatoes for the sauce and added a bit of calabrian peppers for some heat. These changes allowed me to save a lot of time with cooking and still get what I think was the overall intent of the dish. Would make again!