Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe was absolutely delicious! It's the best I've ever had and I really love that the eggplant is NOT breaded. Dustin loved it too and it reheats great. This recipe comes from a website called Angela's Food Love.

20 basil leaves, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 tbsp. diced shallot

2 cloves garlic, minced

a pinch of red pepper flakes

3 (15 oz) cans crushed tomato

1/4 c. olive oil

2 medium eggplant

1 1/2 c. grated mozzarella

2 c. finely grated parmesan

about 2 c. vegetable oil for frying

about 1 1/2 c. flour for dredging

For the sauce: combine garlic, onion, basil, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat, add the tomato. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Set aside or store in the refrigerator until you're ready to layer it with the eggplant. The sauce is best when it's made in advance.

For the eggplant: slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2" thick pieces, salt both sides, then let sit for 20 minutes. This draws out the moisture. After 20 minutes, rinse and then pat dry with a kitchen towel. Dredge the eggplant slices in flour and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan until it's very hot and fry the eggplant for about 1-2 minutes on each side or until slightly golden.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cover the bottom of the pan with sauce and then layer with the eggplant slices, fitting them in the pan like puzzle pieces. Use kitchen scissors to cut the slices dow to fill in gaps as needed. Add another layer of sauce over the eggplant and then cover with 1 cup parmesan and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Add another layer of eggplant and cover with sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan evenly over the layer of sauce and then top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.

**NOTE: I didn't make the sauce in advance and it was just fine, but I would like to try it made ahead of time. Also I didn't use fresh basil, I used about 2 tbsp. dried basil leaves.