Eggplant (aubergine) Parmigiana

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 large eggplants, unbruised
• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (i use prego it tastes better)
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated (do not use fresh mozzarella it is to hard to grate)
• 12 eggs (the amount varies depending on how large the eggplants are so better be safe then sorry)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• olive oil, for frying
• fresh basil, garnish (optional)

Recipe

• 1 a great deal of patience for when you smell this heavenly concoction baking.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 3 wash and peel the eggplant (use a potato peeler so you don't take to much flesh off).
• 4 slice eggplant very thin.
• 5 start with four eggs.
• 6 scramble and add some salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• 7 place in a shallow dish (a metal pie tin works well).
• 8 when your egg mixture runs low just add another egg or two and some more seasonings.
• 9 heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet.
• 10 soak eggplant in the egg mixture and fry in the hot oil.
• 11 make sure there is enough oil in the pan.
• 12 fry all of the eggplant (that's the time consuming part).
• 13 mix ricotta with one egg and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder (mix well).
• 14 now crack open that jar of pasta sauce and start layering in a large pyrex (9x13).
• 15 first lay down a light layer of sauce, next fried eggplant, then ricotta, then mozzarella, then sauce, then eggplant, and so on and so on until you get to the top which you top with sauce and sprinkle on some more mozzarella cheese.
• 16 you should have about 5 layers of everything.
• 17 cover with foil and bake for approximately 45 minute to one hour depending on your oven, last 5-10 minute remove foil and bake uncovered.
• 18 allow to rest for about fifteen minute or so before cutting into it or the layers will fall apart into a big mess, not that it won't taste the same.
• 19 garnish with basil.