A tasty variation of the classic eggplant parmesan, with the addition of pane carasau between layers of eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella… the bread absorbs excess liquid and becomes flavorful with the tomato sauce, making it easier to slice portions. In this recipe, I baked the eggplant slices, so they are tender and delicious, but lighter than if fried. You can still cook the eggplant in any way you prefer, in a pan with plenty of oil or grilled. Try the eggplant parmesan with pane carasau, it’s really simple!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Seasonality: Summer, All Seasons
- Energy 254.49 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.51 (g) of which sugars 6.38 (g)
- Proteins 12.94 (g)
- Fat 10.45 (g) of which saturated 5.54 (g)of which unsaturated 3.09 (g)
- Fibers 6.83 (g)
- Sodium 307.94 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs eggplants
- 4.4 oz mozzarella
- 9.5 oz tomato purée
- 2.1 oz pane carasau
- Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- 1 clove garlic
- basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- Baking Dish
- Baking Sheet or Grill Pan
- Saucepan
- Cutting Board
Preparation
Wash the eggplants and cut them into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Arrange them on one or two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, without overlapping.
Salt them and lightly brush with extra virgin olive oil on top. Put them in the oven at 356°F and cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender.
If you prefer, you can grill the eggplants, or fry them in plenty of oil.
Meanwhile, drain the mozzarella and slice it.
Pour the tomato purée into a saucepan, add a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt, the garlic clove, and a couple of basil leaves. Cook the sauce for 5-6 minutes on low heat.
Take a baking dish and coat it with a small amount of sauce. Arrange a layer of baked eggplants, add the tomato and mozzarella (1).
Now cover with a layer of pane carasau and more tomato sauce (2).
Make another layer of eggplants, tomato, mozzarella, carasau, and tomato. Continue until you use up the ingredients, finishing with eggplants, tomato, and mozzarella. Finally, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano and brush with a little oil (3).
Place the dish in a ventilated oven at 374°F and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the surface is gratinated to your liking (4).
Eggplant parmesan with pane carasau is ready, let it rest a few minutes before cutting. Add some fresh basil leaves if desired for flavor.
Tips and Notes
You can substitute mozzarella with provolone or scamorza.
Do not reduce the tomato sauce too much; the liquid is needed to soften the pane carasau.
You can add more Parmigiano between layers.
If you have leftovers, you can store the parmesan in the refrigerator until the next day, or freeze it already portioned.
