Tomato Sauce

1. Pour the cans of tomatoes into a bowl and use your hands to crush them, leaving them a little chunky.
2. Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes, along with the salt, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Whisk to combine.
3. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Lastly, turn off the heat and stir in the fresh parsley. Let cool slightly.

 

Fried Eggplant

1. Set up a work station with 3 large, shallow bowls and a sheet pan. In one bowl, combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, dried oregano, granulated garlic, and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
2. Dredge each slice of eggplant through the flour, eggs, and then breadcrumbs. Gently lay the slices onto the sheet pan as you go.
3. Heat a large stainless steel skillet (you could use 2 to speed up the process) over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to come about an ⅛” up the sides of the pan. Once hot, fry the eggplant in a single layer, about 2 minutes per side. Work in batches, adding more oil, wiping out the pan, and adjusting the heat to medium-low as needed.
4. Transfer each slice of eggplant to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Season immediately with a pinch of salt. Let cool slightly.

 

Assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add a little sauce to coat the bottom of a deep (9” x 13”) baking dish. Arrange an even layer of eggplant, spread 1 cup of sauce over top, sprinkle a ¼ cup of parmesan, a ¼ cup of basil, and approximately a ¼ of the mozzarella cheese.
3. Repeat the layers 3 more times. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes. Broil for 1-2 minutes until browned.
4. Let the eggplant parmesan rest out of the oven for about 20 minutes before slicing. Slice into 12 pieces. Serve with spaghetti if desired.