Moosewood Eggplant & Randomness

This eggplant Parmesan takes the Moosewood approach: bake the breaded slices first instead of frying them, then layer them with tomato sauce and cheese in a casserole for a second bake. You skip the greasy mess of deep-frying and still get crispy, herb-crusted eggplant rounds with a tender interior.

Each slice gets dipped in milk, then coated in seasoned bread crumbs mixed with basil, oregano, and thyme. The recipe gives you the option to swap some or all of the bread crumbs for wheat germ, which adds a nuttier crunch and a bit more nutrition.

The layering follows the same logic as lasagna: sauce on the bottom to prevent sticking, then eggplant, more sauce, shredded mozzarella, and repeat until the pan is full. A generous Parmesan blanket on top browns into a salty, crispy cap.

Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting. The sauce needs time to set so you get clean squares instead of a sloppy slide.

Pro Tips

• Slice eggplant to an even ½ inch thickness. Thinner slices dry out during the first bake; thicker ones stay soggy in the center.
• Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit for 20 minutes before breading. This draws out excess moisture and bitterness. Pat dry before dipping.
• Don’t skimp on the first bake. The slices should be tender all the way through before they go into the layered casserole.
• Shred the mozzarella from a block for better melting. Pre-shredded cheese has coatings that prevent smooth, gooey layers.

Variations

• Fully vegan: Use plant-based milk, vegan mozzarella shreds, and nutritional yeast in place of Parmesan.
• Zucchini blend: Alternate layers of breaded eggplant with breaded zucchini slices for more variety.
• Spicy marinara: Add red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce for a kick of heat between the cheesy layers.