Eggplant Parmesan With Easy Homemade Sauce
Description
Breaded eggplant slices in an easy homemade tomato sauce are baked under a topping of Parmesan cheese in this Italian-inspired favorite.
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
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1 eggplant - trimmed, peeled, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
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1/2 cup olive oil
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1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
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1 1/2 (6 ounce) cans water
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1/4 teaspoon dried basil
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1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
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1 clove garlic, crushed
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1 teaspoon brown sugar
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sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
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1 (8 ounce) package fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
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3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease an 8x14-inch baking dish.
2
Mix seasoned bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes in a shallow bowl. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and press into bread crumb mixture to coat. Lay slices onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove eggplant and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3
Whisk tomato paste and water in a saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper.
4
Place eggplant slices into the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices. Spoon tomato sauce over eggplant and top with mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
5
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 more minutes to give cheese topping a golden color. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.