To begin making eggplant Parmesan, first wash and then peel the eggplant skin into vertical stripes. (Leave a bit of the skin on, and take a little off, in a striped fashion).
Then, slice eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. They’ll vary in diameter since eggplant is not a uniform shape, but keep the thickness of each slice the same.
Salt slices and let them sit for about 30 minutes on a large tray lined with paper towels. The salt draws out the moisture, and the eggplant will sweat out a bit.
Blot the eggplant moisture off. Turn over, salt again, let sit for another 30 mins.
Dredge the eggplant in flour, coat with egg, then breadcrumb.
Fry the eggplant in a bit of olive oil until light golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
Lay on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Prepare a casserole dish with a little bit of tomato sauce on the bottom.
Add a single layer of fried eggplant slices.
Add Parmesan, basil, and top with fresh mozzarella slices.
Continue layering until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce and cheese on top.
Give it time to rest before slicing / serving, another 10-15 mins.
The beauty is that you can make it in bulk and freeze for later use. Let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate for 1 night. From there, you can freeze it in it’s own dish (make sure it’s freezer safe) but make sure it is well covered and protected. Or, you can cut smaller individual portions and wrap them up really well and freeze. Take out as much as you need at a time and reheat, covered, in a medium-heated oven. If wrapped well and protected, it will last for 3 months or so in freezer.
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