Three-Cheese Skillet Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplants are like sponges. Salting them draws water out of their cells, which saturates the “sponge” and keeps excess oil from soaking in when frying. The longer you allow the salted eggplant to stand, more liquid will drain out and the less oil it will absorb.
- 2 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut into½-inch slices
- 2 tsp. fine salt or 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. dried oregano or basil, crushed
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. semolina flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups marinara or your favorite red sauce (see note)
- 3 slices pancetta or bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled (optional)
- Chopped fresh basil and/or parsley (optional)
In a colander combine eggplant and salt; toss to coat. Let stand at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Using a paper towel, pat excess moisture away from eggplant. Transfer to a large bowl and add flour, oregano, and pepper; toss to coat evenly.
In a large deep oven-proof skillet heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and almost tender, adding more oil as needed. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining eggplant. Add marinara to skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the eggplant. Arrange eggplant as desired (get fancy with them or just toss them over the sauce like I did).
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl combine mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, and parsley (if using). Drop mixture in mounds over eggplant. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges are bubbly, eggplant is fork-tender, and cheese is lightly browned. If desired, sprinkle with pancetta and chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.
NOTE: Find my Everyday Marinara recipe here.