Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup torn basil fresh
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper red crushed
• 1 large eggs lightly beaten
• 2 pound eggplants peeled
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3 ounces fontina finely grated
• 1.5 teaspoons garlic minced
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs whole-wheat (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 ounce parmigiano-reggiano cheese fresh grated
• 16 ounce part-skim ricotta cheese 
• 24 ounce premium pasta sauce 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon water 

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• aluminum foil
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. To make eggplant, combine 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish.
3. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere and shaking off excess.
4. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden, turning once and rotating baking sheets after 15 minutes.
6. To make filling, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through egg).
7. To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.
8. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce.
9. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top with about 3/4 cup pasta sauce; spread half of ricotta mixture over sauce, and top with a third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup pasta sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.
10. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.
11. Remove foil; top with remaining third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina.
12. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts; cool 10 minutes.