As Thanksgiving approaches, I have so much to be grateful for.  Especially my loving family.  Today I made Eggplant Parm for them, a beautiful Sunday Dinner to celebrate our life together.  There’s nothing quite like cooking for your family after church on Sunday, and there’s nothing quite like being half Italian:)

Start by making some "Sunday Gravy" or tomato sauce. Here we have canned tomatoes, garlic, onions, salt & pepper and olive oil.

Dice 2 onions, 1 good-sized shallot and about 5 cloves of garlic. Meanwhile, heat up 2 tbs of olive oil in the pan.

When the olive oil is hot, add the onions, shallots and garlic along with 2 tsp salt and hot pepper (to taste).

after about 7-10 minutes, when the onions are translucent add 3 26oz cans of diced plum tomatoes.

Let the tomatoes simmer until the tomatoes break down and the ingredients meld together, about 30 to 45 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, start to prepare the eggplant.  Take 2 medium eggplants, slice into 1/2″ rounds.  Lay them out on a baking sheet, sprinkle salt on both sides and let them sit for a good hour (while your sauce simmers).  This will draw out the bitterness and excess moisture.

After the eggplant sits for the hour, lightly rinse under water and pat dry with a dishtowel. Return the eggplant to the sheet pan. Now it's time to do some breading.

Set up 3 bowls, the first with 1/2 cup of flour seasoned with salt & pepper, second with 4 eggs, & 3 tbs half n half, salt & pepper whisked together and the third with 2 cups of seasoned breadcrumbs.

In that order, take your tongs and dip the rounds into flour, then the egg mixture and lastly the breadcrumbs & return to the sheet pan.  Meanwhile, heat up some vegetable oil, about an inch deep.  When the oil is good and hot, fry the eggplant (about 2 minutes each side) and drain on paper towels that you have lined your sheet pans with.

Next comes the cheese- you’ll need a good chunk of mozzarella, sliced, about 8oz grated Prevalone and about 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Grab a bunch of fresh basil.

Now it’s time to assemble your masterpiece.  Pre-heat your oven to 350, get out a lasagna pan.  We’re going to make 3 layers.  Spoon some sauce on the bottom of the pan, lay 1/3 of the fried lasagna, sprinkle some Parmesan, then the Prevalone, then lay slices of mozzarella.  Tear the basil up an scatter 1/3 over the top.  Continue twice more, ending with the mozzarella and scattered basil on top.

Here's it is, ready for the oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Take it out and let it rest for 10 minutes.

YUM. Pour yourself a nice glass of red, and let your family shower you with praise. Happy Sunday!