Eggplant Parmesan Cutlets

I can assist you with a delicious recipe for Eggplant Parmesan Cutlets, a vegetarian variant of the classic cutlets that evoke the flavors of the famous Italian dish eggplant Parmigiana. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 eggs
• 100 g of flour
• 150 g of breadcrumbs
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 200 g of mozzarella, better if it’s not too watery
• 500 ml of tomato passata
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by washing the eggplants, dry them, and slice them into about 1 cm thick slices. Lightly salt them and let them drain in a colander for about 30 minutes to lose their bitterness.
2. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. In a pan, sauté the garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil. Once golden, remove them and add the tomato passata. Season with salt, pepper and cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. At the end of cooking, add torn fresh basil.
3. Dry the eggplant slices with some kitchen paper. Bread the eggplant slices first in the flour, then in the beaten eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper, and finally in the breadcrumbs mixed with the grated Parmesan cheese.
4. In a large pan, heat plenty of frying oil and when it’s hot, fry the breaded eggplant slices until they are golden on both sides. Drain them on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
5. Take an oven dish and pour a little tomato sauce on the bottom. Lay alternating layers of eggplant cutlets, sliced mozzarella, and tomato sauce until all the ingredients are used up. On each layer of eggplant, also add a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 °C for about 20 minutes, or until the mozzarella is nicely melted and the surface is golden brown.
7. Serve hot, as a main course, accompanied perhaps by a fresh green salad.

Did you know?

Eggplant Parmigiana is a dish with ancient origins, with various Italian regions claiming its paternity. The classic version is a sort of lasagna made with fried eggplants, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan, all baked in the oven to get a golden crust on the surface. This version of the cutlets retains the typical flavors of the Parmigiana, but it is presented in an alternative form that can also be more practical for individual portions.