Eggplant parmesan

Eh, I've made it before and I'll make it again. I know it's not in season, but the eggplants at the store looked pretty good for who knows where they came from. Anyways, I'll remember that when I'm drowning in fresh local eggplant in the summer.The secret to a good eggplant parm is the frying. This time I did bother to salt, sit, and rinse, but honestly I've never noticed a difference. I find that instead of breadcrumbs, just a nice flour coating makes for a perfectly crispy eggplant. I also used the Tofutti mozzarella.

Eggplant parm

Eggplant:

1 Eggplant sliced lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup flour (or more if needed)

1/4 cup soy milk (or more if needed)

Canola oil

Sauce:

2 TBS olive oil

2-10 cloves of garlic

1 big can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp salt

2 TBS sugar

1 TBS Italian seasoning

(a bunch of fresh basil if you've got it)

Soy cheese

Start with the sauce. Heat olive oil and saute garlic. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, and seasoning. If adding basil chop up all the leaves and add it. Let simmer while you fry the eggplant.

Heat oil in a cash iron skillet until a droplet of water sizzles. You don't want it too hot or it'll burn before it's cooked. Dip eggplant slices in soy milk, then coat in flour. Cook two at a time for about 10 minutes one side, then 5 on the other. Drain on a cooling rack.

To assemble the ensemble...

I use mini loaf pans, but you can do this in any sized baking pan. Put down a layer of sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Add Eggplant slice, top with sauce, then cheese, then repeat. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melty.

I like the mini loaf pans, because I can just heat up one serving in the toaster oven and voila, yummy Italian goodness.