I love fried eggplant!
The LOVELY LINDA, aka TOTO's LEASH, has a wonderful recipe for FRIED EGGPLANT for EGGPLANT PARMESAN.
First, she peels all the purple skin off. Then, she cuts them in very thinly sliced round medallions, about 1/4 inch.
Then, she places them out on a sheet of paper towel, one layer at a time and each layer after is covered with another piece of dry paper towel.
When the stack is finished, she then takes every heavy book she can find, especially telephone directories, and places them at the top of the stack to weight them down. That SQUEEZES OUT all of the moisture in the round eggplant medallions, which she leaves overnight on the table.
By the next evening, they're ready to be Fried. It's the usual dip them in flour (dry), then dip them in egg (wet) then dip them in Seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs.
Next, they go into the HOT Corn Oil until they're really brown, and out they come and onto more layers of paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
TOTO's job is to stand next to the Lovely LINDA, and as she takes them out of the HOT oil, after they've been fried to a GOLDEN BROWN, sample them to ensure that, their is NO POISEN PRESENT, thus ensuring that they are all SAFE TO EAT for the rest of the family.
Suffice it to say that, I can't always be sure, and so, I EAT MANY OF THEM! I DOO LOVE MY FAMILY!
After that, Linda goes on to making them into EGGPLANT PARMESAN.
She takes a large enamel baking pan, (16"X 12" X 2") ladels some GRAVY (the Italians call their Red Tomato Sauce Gravy), at the bottom of the pan, (Ragu or Francesco Rinaldi from the jar works just fine) places a layer of the Fried Eggplant on that, places layers of sliced Mozzarella cheese over that, a little more GRAVY, and REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT.
The TOP is finished off with GRAVY and grated Parmesan Romano cheese and into the oven it goes for 45 minutes until bubbly hot and crispy.
When it comes out, it is to DIE FOR!
Get yourself some crusty Italian Bread or French Baguettes, cut them into slices, lace them with some drizzled butter and garlic powder, broil the tops until Golden Brown, and off you go into never never land.
Personally, I could just stand by the frying pan all night long and eat them as she takes them out of the pan, just like Potato Chips or Fried Plantains, but she won't let me!
