GMA Recipe: Chris Cuomo's Eggplant Parmigiana

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Chris Cuomo's Eggplant Parmigiana
From GMA's chef, Karen Pickus
Friday, February 9, 2006

In the month of love, one of Chris Cuomo's favorite things is Eggplant Parmigiana. Karen Pickus, Good Morning America's resident chef, offers this excellent recipe.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants (about 3 lbs.)

3/4 cup WONDRA flour

4 eggs

1/4 cup water

2 cups dried bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (for frying, more if necessary)

4 cups marinara sauce

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

3 cups fresh grated mozzarella

6 tablespoons grated Parmagiano Reggiano

18 fresh basil leaves

8 oz. smoked mozzarella, sliced

Directions

Using a vegetable peeler, remove skin of eggplants in strips. Whole eggplant should looked "striped" when you are done. Slice eggplants into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick.

Place WONDRA flour in a medium-sized bowl, and set aside (this flour seals the eggplant during frying so that it stays firm). Mix eggs and water in a separate bowl. In a 9x13-inch glass dish or pie plate, combine bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, and coarse sea salt. Mix together to distribute ingredients.

Start breading procedure: Coat eggplant slices in flour first, then egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Use tongs to prevent your hands from getting coated. Continue this procedure until all slices are breaded.

Place olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Fry breaded eggplant slices, 5 to 6 at a time, until golden brown. This should take 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove fried eggplant to a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a 9x13-inch oven-proof dish, spread 1 cup of marinara sauce, to start the layering process. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then spread all of the ricotta cheese in a thin layer on top of the eggplant. Next, add 1 cup of grated mozzarella. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmagiano Reggiano over mozzarella and layer with 6 fresh basil leaves, torn and distributed evenly. Repeat process two more times, excluding ricotta (for a total of 3 layers). Top the third layer with the remaining 2 cups of sauce and the sliced smoked mozzarella.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375°F, until bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon anchovies (packed in olive oil), finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 (28 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes

1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened, but not brown--about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add anchovies and herbs and stir for an additional minute. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Once sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Recipes copyright Chef Karen Pickus, Good Morning America