Eggplant Parmesan with the air fryer.
Before it was invented, it seemed impossible, but now we can easily prepare eggplant parmesan with the magical “fry-fry”, as we affectionately call it in our family. This method gives you lighter eggplant parmesan than the classic version, tasty and flavorful, soft inside with a crispy crust on top that will drive you crazy. Lovers of the classic recipe, the one done with all the trimmings, who get up at the crack of dawn to bread and fry the eggplant in hot oil might get upset hearing this. I myself love the parmesan prepared with the original recipe, I could eat a ton of it at once, but I don’t always have the desire and time to prepare it that way. This one with the eggplants cooked in the air fryer is indeed an excellent compromise, much quicker to prepare, no smell of fried food, and especially accessible to everyone. For those who are not too skilled in the kitchen, those who say “I can’t digest fried food”, those who are crazy about eggplant parmesan but can’t handle all that fried food, those who don’t have time to bread and fry, those who wish but can’t, etc. Try making eggplant parmesan in the air fryer, when it comes out of the magical oven soft, succulent, tasty, and fragrant, it will win you over and become one of your favorite dishes, my word!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs eggplants
- 9 oz scamorza
- 12.3 oz tomato sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps breadcrumbs
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Air Fryer air fryer
- 1 Cutting Board cutting board
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pan
- 1 Fork
- 2 Spoons
- 1 Knife knife
- 1 Plate
- Paper Towels
- 1 Brush
Steps
To prepare an excellent parmesan, you will need tomato sauce, I use this simple sauce which is really suitable for the purpose, but you can also quickly cook it in a pan by browning a clove of garlic in oil, adding canned tomatoes, salt, and basil to flavor it.
Wash and dry the eggplants. Slice them thinly, about 1/4-inch thick. Place them in a large bowl, drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil over each slice of eggplant. Don’t be too stingy, a bit of oil is needed to achieve a good result.
Place the eggplant slices on the air fryer rack, without overlapping them. Cook using the veggies mode, i.e., at 383°F, for 6 minutes. Using a fork or better yet a kitchen tongs, flip them to the other side and continue cooking for another 6 minutes. It will take 5 or 6 rounds of cooking for 2.2 lbs of eggplants. Be mindful that after the first few cookings, since the air fryer is at temperature, it might take a few minutes less. Check, especially the second cooking after 3 or 4 minutes.
Place the eggplants, as they cook, on a plate with some kitchen paper.
Once all the eggplants are cooked, we can proceed with assembling the parmesan, but first, slice the scamorza thinly.
Take a pan, pay attention to the size because it must fit in the air fryer. Spread a little extra virgin olive oil on the bottom of the pan and a few tablespoons of tomato sauce. Sprinkle the bottom with a bit of breadcrumbs and then start with the layers.
Cover the pan with the fried eggplants, lightly salt them, distribute a bit of oil, the tomato sauce, and the sliced scamorza. Continue this way until all ingredients are used up.
Break the eggs into a bowl, add the Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt. Beat them with a fork and spread them over the last layer of parmesan. Finish the preparation with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and a bit more extra virgin olive oil. Use a brush to distribute the oil well, be generous, over the breadcrumbs, which would otherwise fly away during cooking, due to the fan present in the air fryer.
Set the cooking for 25 minutes with the Bake function at 320°F, then open and check. It may need a few more minutes.
My Advice
The already cooked eggplant parmesan keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days, stored in a container. It’s also good cold, at room temperature, but I prefer it warm. You can reheat it for a couple of minutes in the microwave and then another two or three minutes in the air fryer to restore crispiness to the surface.
When there’s a small piece left that’s not enough for everyone, I use it chopped up to dress pasta, try it yourself!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I fry the eggplants the day before and store them?
Yes, of course, the eggplants can also be fried the day before and then assemble the parmesan at your leisure, storing them in the refrigerator.
Can I leave out the eggs on top?
Yes, in this case, finish with cheese, breadcrumbs, and tomato sauce.
