The first and last time I made eggplant parmesan was about two years ago. I figured it was pretty self-explanatory: like chicken parm, which I’d made successfully before. The eggplant somehow managed to turn out too chewy, too mushy, and too dry simultaneously, and I was too discouraged to try again. But I adore eggplant, whether it’s parm on a hero or in brinjal bharta, and once I learned the trick of salting the eggplant and letting it rest to drain out some of the moisture, I was ready to try again. I did it without the breadcrumbs to make it lighter, and worked on a hunch that the title character of the parmesan might actually be optional. It’s not a traditional eggplant parm, but as a cheesy, saucy, vegetable-y dish, it absolutely works.

Eggplant minus parmesan:

• 1 eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch rounds
• 2 tbsp salt
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 lb ricotta
• 1/4 lb mozzarella, shredded
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 24-32 oz pasta sauce (this is Emeril’s Roasted Gahhhhlic)

1. Peel the eggplant and slice it into rounds. Sprinkle both sides of each piece with salt and place in a colander. Let rest for half an hour. This allows the moisture to sweat out of the eggplant.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cheeses, egg and basil in a bowl.
3. Rinse the eggplant in cold water until the salt is removed. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a skillet and brown the eggplant, in two batches, on both sides. Add more oil as needed.
4. Spread about a cup of pasta sauce at the bottom of a baking dish. Top with the first layer of eggplant slices. Layer with half the cheese mixture. Add another layer of sauce, then eggplant. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until sauce bubbles.