Eggplant Parmesan

From the garden

• 2 large eggplants, sliced into half-inch rounds
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

From the pantry

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¾ cup grated parmesan · divided; some goes in the breading
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 can crushed tomatoes · 28-oz can
• 2 tbsp olive oil · for the sauce
• ½ cup vegetable oil · for shallow-frying
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Salt the eggplant rounds on both sides, lay them on a rack, and let them weep 30 minutes; blot very dry. This step seasons them through, pulls bitterness, and keeps the slices from drinking oil.
2. Make the sauce: warm the olive oil with the garlic in a saucepan over medium until fragrant, add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, and simmer 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in half the basil off the heat.
3. Set up a breading line: flour in one dish, beaten eggs in a second, and the breadcrumbs mixed with the Italian seasoning and a quarter cup of the parmesan in a third. Coat each eggplant round: flour, then egg, then crumbs, pressing so they stick.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Shallow-fry the rounds in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp; drain on a rack. Top up the oil if the pan goes dry.
5. Heat the oven to 375°F. In a 9x13 baking dish, layer a thin coat of sauce, half the eggplant, half the remaining sauce, and half the mozzarella; repeat, finishing with the last of the parmesan. Don't drown it: too much sauce turns the crust soggy.
6. Bake 30–35 minutes until bubbling at the edges and browned on top. Rest a full 15 minutes so the layers set, then scatter with the remaining basil and serve.