Parmesan Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce

Eggplants fried in flour and egg coating are good on their own as a no-meat main course, appetizer or snack. But they can also be served as a side dish.

Tomato sauce with basil and garlic is a good addition to fried eggplants; it adds a bit of spiciness to plain taste of eggplants.

And parmesan goes great with that combination too.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium size eggplants
  • 2 eggs
  • 2-3 table spoons of all purpose flour
  • Oil
  • Salt
  • Ground parmesan

  • Sauce:
    4 tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Fresh basil
  • Olive oil
  • Salt to taste

How to prepare, step-by-step:

  1. Prepare ingredients: choose dark ripe eggplants and sweet ripe tomatoes:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 1
  2. Slice eggplants into circles about ⅓ of inch thick, powder each slice generously with salt from both sides, put to the bowl and set aside for 15-20 mins (this will drain a bit of juices from eggplants as well as remove bitterness from the taste):
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 2
  3. Rinse eggplants wold water and pat dry with paper towel (discard juices):
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 3
  4. Pour about 2 tablespoon of all purpose flour to the small bowl, crack eggs into another one and mix them:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 4
  5. Warm up skillet with 2-3 table spoons of oil over moderate heat. Deep each eggplant slices into flour from both sides:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 5
  6. Then into eggs from both sides:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 6
  7. And move to warmed up skillet:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 7
  8. Fry until golden brown from one side, then flip to another side and fry until soft when pierced with fork:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 8
  9. Repeat for all eggplant slices:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 9
  10. Move ready eggplants to a plate:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 10
  11. In general at this point eggplants are already ready and can be served as side dish:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 11
  12. Or you can continue and add a hint of Mediterranean to this recipe with tomato-basil sauce. I already posted more detailed recipe for this sauce earlier, so will quote here only important pieces. Start of by blanching tomatoes (you can also remove seeds if tomatoes you use allow that) and chop them in blender:
    Boil tomatoes
    Peel tomato skin
    Puree in blender

    Warm up sauce pan with a bit of olive oil; add chopped garlic and fry until soft and transparent, then pour pureed tomatoes in, simmer until extra liquid evaporated, salt to taste; remove from burner and add chopped fresh basil:
    Fry garlic
    Add pureed tomatoes
    Add chopped basil

    Sauce is ready!
  13. Pour warm or cooled down sauce over fried eggplants:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 13
  14. And season with ground parmesan:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan Recipe: Step 14
  15. This dish can be served as snack or appetizer, as well as side dish or a dish on its own:
    Eggplants with Tomato Basil Sauce and Parmesan
Enjoy!

View Comments

  • Hello,

    I tried this dish and put a few spins on it, using chili paste and Italian seasoning in the tomato sauce and extra shredded cheddar on top. Yum! It was delicious!

    Just wondering if you could tell me the total calorie count for the dish?

    Thanks!