In 2014, I posted a link to friend Julie Yates’ Traditional Eggplant Parmesan, and I continue to love this recipe. Lately, I’ve been thinking about getting the recipe written down here, for if the link to her blog ever went away– she hasn’t posted since 2020–  I’d really regret not having it. So yesterday, when I made it, I took some photos to get it safely posted here.

You might think this recipe difficult, but it’s really not. It just has multiple steps, and if you work through them patiently, it will come out great. Allow yourself some time, and enjoy the process. The photos below the recipe show the steps as well.

(Note: Since I’m committed to food purity, I make my own bread crumbs out of organic, sprouted bread that does not have any bad ingredients. I chop up a loaf into cubes, and whirl it in batches in the food processor. Then I toast it in batches at 300ºF in a single layer until dry, which usually takes near 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. I then put the dry, toasted crumbs back through the food processor, and whirl them up until fine. The extra portion gets stored in a glass jar in the pantry for next time it is needed.)

This recipe serves four, but can be multiplied for more in a larger pan. Leftovers, happily, are just as good.

Julie’s Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

For Sauce:

2 (15 oz) cans organic tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

For everything else:

1 large globe eggplant

Dredging bowl #1:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dredging bowl #2:

• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Dredging bowl #3″

• 1/2 cup dry, fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

6 tablespoons avocado oil (or possibly more)
12 deli slices of Mozzarella (8 oz)
grated Parmesan garnish (optional)

Preheat you oven to 375ºF.

Put all the ingredients listed above for the sauce in a sauce pan, and put in on a low simmer, while you work on the rest of this.

Cut the ends of a large eggplant and peel it. Cut in into 1/4 inch slices.

Ready the three dredging bowls, mixing the dry ones, whisking the wet.

Julie says, “Do yourself a favor and use tongs if you have them!” (I agree!) Take a slice of eggplant and dredge both sides of it in the flour. Then dip the flour coated slice in the egg mixture, coating both sides. Lastly, cover both sides of the slice in the bread crumb mixture. (Some times when doing this, you need to replenish the bowls. I’ve used up to three eggs sometimes.)

Once all your slices are covered, heat six tablespoons of avocado oil in the frying pan. In batches, brown the eggplant on both sides. Watch carefully that the pan doesn’t get too hot, because you want the eggplant golden, not burnt. Place the browned eggplant on paper towels, to absorb any excess oil.

Spoon a little of the red sauce in the bottom of the baking pan that you are going to use, and place the first layer of eggplant in the pan. Then start layering: spoon a bit of sauce over the eggplant, place slices of mozzarella over that, then a bit of sauce on the cheese, add another layer of eggplant, sauce, cheese, etc, and continue until you’ve used all of the eggplant. You can cut eggplant discs in half to fit them in corners as necessary.

Finish by putting the last mozzarella cheese on top. Poke into the sides eny extra eggplant or cheese you might have ended up with, and pour the rest of the sauce over it all.

Bake at 375ºF for about 50 minutes to an hour, depending how hot it was when you put it in the oven. If the top seems to be getting done too fast, put a foil “tent” over it to keep it from looking burnt. If using the grated Parmesan garnish, sprinkle it on the top before the last five minutes of cooking.

Serve immediately.

Yum!!  Enjoy.