Eggplant Parmesan

A jar of ready-to-use marinara sauce puts the easy into this great recipe for the classic Italian dish, eggplant Parmesan. Serve with a side of your favorite pasta.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 medium eggplants
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying
1 (24 to 26-ounce) jar marinara or spaghetti sauce (about 3 cups)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter

Cooking Directions:

1. Peel the eggplants and cut them lengthwise in slices. Set the slices in a pasta colander; sprinkle with salt and let them stand for about 1 hour.
2. Pat the slices dry and dredge them in the flour.
3. In a large skillet, fry the slices in hot oil until golden on both sides. Season with pepper.
4. Line the bottom of a buttered 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with a layer of fried eggplant slices. Top with a layer of the marinara sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Continue building up layers of eggplant, marinara, cheeses and basil. Dot the top with butter.
5. Place in the preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) for about 15 minutes. Allow to set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.