Eggplant alla Vincenza

Shared by fellow shareholder Veronica Kenausis, granddaughter of Vincenza!

 

2-3 medium eggplant                                                    3-4 cups of tomato sauce

6-8 eggs                                                                       Romano cheese (or parmesan)

2-3 cups flour

Salt and pepper to taste

about 2 cups frying oil

 

Peel, then slice the eggplants as thinly as possible.  Beat the eggs in a large bowl, with a small amount of water.  Put the flour in a separate bowl, season with salt and pepper.

 

Dip each eggplant round into the egg mixture, shake off excess, then dredge in the flour mixture. 

 

Heat oil in large frying pan to about 400 degrees.  Place battered eggplant rounds in the oil – pan can be crowded, but each round should have enough room to fry evenly.  Flip rounds over when underside is golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side, maybe less). Drain on paper towels.

 

Allow eggplant to cool.  You can even place fried eggplant in freezer bags and freeze up to one month.

 

When ready to use, layer eggplant in baking dish with sauce of your choice (homemade or jarred, if necessary), starting with a thin layer of sauce on bottom of pan.  Cover sauce with eggplant rounds, overlapping the edges.  Cover with another thin layer of sauce, then sprinkle Romano cheese over the layer.  Continue with eggplant, sauce and cheese until baking dish is full (ending with sauce and cheese).

 

Bake in 350 degree oven to meld all flavors, about 40 minutes to an hour.