deconstructed eggplant parmesan

​In the October 9-10th weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal, from the Slow Food Fast column, there appeared a recipe for Fried Eggplant with Sungold Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella. The recipe is from chef Joe Papach from The Harvey House in Madison, Wisconsin. This stunning restaurant is housed in the renovated Baggage Claim House at the Madison historic train depot and the restaurant features Midwest favorites, but with a twist by Chef Papach.

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This is evident in today’s recipe whereby the eggplant is made into golden planks and served atop a tomato sauce that is made with dry white wine, butter and a splash of sherry vinegar. For the recipe you’ll need 2 Italian eggplants, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, olive oil, fresh garlic, chile flakes, Sungold tomatoes, dry white wine, butter, sherry vinegar, flour, eggs, panko, fresh mozzarella, zest of a lemon and fresh basil leaves.
 
This time when I breaded the eggplant with the panko, I left the panko as is and my eggplant came out golden and very crispy. The tomato sauce is unusual in that you’re using Sungold (golden orange color) tomatoes, which is a variety of cherry tomatoes, that is extra sweet and stays firmer longer. I found Sungold tomatoes at Delicious Orchards, in Colts Neck, NJ. The tomato sauce is made by slicing the tomatoes in half and cooking them in olive oil and garlic. Once the tomatoes release some juice, wine is added and cooked. Lastly, some butter is added and cooked until the sauce tightens. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
 
This is now the base for your dish. You’re going to place your golden eggplant planks on top of the sauce and add pieces of mozzarella on top. I didn’t use fresh mozzarella as I can’t find anything less than 1 pound that is made fresh daily. I used shredded store-bought mozzarella and placed it under the broiler for several minutes, just till the cheese melted. I garnished with some small basil leaves that I still have in my garden.
 
To quote my husband, “This is really good.” This was a wonderful version of eggplant parmesan. It tasted lighter and fresher than traditional Italian eggplant parmesan. It takes just 45 minutes from start to finish. So, if you’re looking for a lighter version of an Italian traditional dish, give this one a try. 

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Fried Eggplant with Sungold Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella
Recipe by Chef Joe Papach, Harvey House, Madison WI
From The Wall Street Journal October 9-10, 2021
Life&Work|Food&Drink|Slow Food Fast
By Kitty Greenwald
 
Serves: 4
Total Time: 45 minutes
 
Ingredients

• 2 Italian eggplants, sliced lengthwise into ½-inch planks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more to fry and finish
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon chile flakes
• 1-pint Sungold tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter, chilled
• Sherry vinegar
• 1 cup flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko
• 1 (12-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, at room temperature, torn into bite-size shreds
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup torn basil leaves

 
Directions

1. Season eggplant liberally with salt and place on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Let drain at 5 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Make the tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Season with chile flakes and salt, and increase heat to medium. Stir in tomatoes and cook until they release liquid, 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until sauce tightens, about 3 minutes more. Stir in butter and, once sauce is creamy, season with vinegar and salt to taste. Cover to keep warm.
3. Place flour, eggs and panko into three large separate bowls. Fill a large, deep pan with at least 1/2 inch of oil and set over medium-high heat.
4. Dredge each eggplant plank through flour to cover. Shake off excess and dip eggplant into eggs to completely coat. Let excess run off and then dredge eggplant through panko, pressing to make crumbs adhere evenly. Set breaded eggplant on rack.
5. Once oil is hot but not smoking, working in batches, lay breaded eggplant into oil and fry until crisp and golden brown on one side, 2-3 minutes. Control heat so oil bubbles steadily. Use tongs to carefully flip eggplant and fry until golden and crisp on reverse side and fully tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer fried eggplant to paper-towel-lined plates to cool. Season with salt.
6. To serve, spoon warm tomato sauce into shallow bowls. Place fried eggplant on top. Scatter torn mozzarella over top. Season with salt, pepper and zest. Garnish with basil and a drizzle of oil.

—Adapted from Joe Papach