Eggplant Parmesan with Linguine

I found the recipe for this on the Rachael Ray website. I linked the original recipe, but I must say I made some changes. You're shocked, no? ;-)

For the sauce I used one 28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, 15 ounce can tomato sauce, squeeze of basil. Lets talk about basil. I hate when I have to toss fresh herbs that have gone bad, at Albertsons I discovered little 4 oz tubes of squeezable herbs! Basil paste that lasts for 90 days? Yes please! Back to the sauce. I also used pepper, squeeze of anchovy paste, sauteed garlic and onions, and garlic infused olive oil. I think that was all I used. It was delish! I let it simmer slowly for about 40 minutes. Best.Sauce.Ever.

For the actual eggplant I didn't change much, although I did fry them in a teeny amount of oil. Eggplant is literally a sponge, and it can get unhealthy fast when you're slapping on the oil. I coated mine in flour, then the egg wash, then I dipped them in a mixture of Italian Panko breadcrumbs, freshly chopped parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Delicious. I layered mine like Rach does, and baked for about 20 minutes until the cheese was nice and bubbly. One thing I regret is I didn't salt the eggplant while it was hanging out. It really does make a difference, and I'll be sure to do it next time! Here are a few shots, I didn't take all that many.

I do hope you all give this a shot, it's super amazing and pretty quick to pull together. Any pasta is good on the side, I used a nice whole wheat linguine and it went together perfectly. Topping it with fresh parsley is the best part, and a little sprinkle of Parmesan never hurt anyone ;-)