You can't go past this eggplant with a crispy panko exterior, slathered with pasta sauce and melted mozarella.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
2 medium sized eggplants, sliced into 2cm thick rounds
2 small eggs, lightly whisked
1 Tbsp milk
1 cup pf panko breadcrumbs
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons oregano
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, leaves picked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 jar of tomato-based pasta sauce
2 balls of fresh mozzarella (or 1 large ball of regular mozzarella), thinly sliced
A small handful of basil leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a medium-sized shallow bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and milk together.
Combine the breadcrumbs, 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, oregano, and thyme on a large plate, adding a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of pepper. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture, making sure they are fully coated. Space the pieced out across the baking tray and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they have softened and turned a little golden.
Once the eggplant is ready, spoon half a cup of the pasta sauce into the bottom of a square baking dish and spread it evenly. Layer half the eggplant on top.
For the next layer, add a full cup of pasta sauce and half the mozzarella. For the final layer, add the rest of the eggplant, a cup (or the rest of) the pasta sauce and the rest of the mozzarella. Sprinkle the reserved Parmesan over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle fresh basil leaves over the top before serving.
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