Eggplant Parmigiana

I often find that the star of eggplant parmigiana recipes (the eggplant!) ends up overwhelmed by the marinara or smothered by the cheese, so I experimented a bit and came up with a recipe that has a nice balance between all the flavors.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  lbs eggplants, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2  cups  finely ground panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  Italian spices (a blend of whatever you prefer)
• 2 -3  eggs, beaten (start with 2, add another if needed)
• 2 -3  tablespoons water (add the third T. if you add a third egg)
•  olive oil flavored cooking spray (about 1 T. total)
• 4  ounces  shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (2 cups)
• 3  cups  marinara sauce
• 1 -2  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• 1  ounce  shredded parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Slice eggplant, set aside.
3. Mix panko, cayenne, and italian seasonings in medium shallow bowl. Beat eggs with water in another shallow bowl.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with olive oil. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Cook coated slices 2 minutes on a side or till tender, working in batches if needed.
5. Layer 1/3 of the eggplant slices in the bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers 2 more times. Stir vinegar into marinara and spoon marinara over last layer. Top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and parmesan.
6. Cover dish loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes at 375 deg. F. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, till cheese is golden. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
7. **if you'd like to make this ahead, assemble up to 2 days in advance. Cover with foil and refrigerate till ready to bake, then cook about 10-15 extra minutes before removing the foil. (Please note, though, the longer you refrigerate it, the less crispy the crumb coating will be).