Crispy and Cheesy Eggplant Pecorino

This crispy and cheesy eggplant pecorino by America’s Test Kitchen is a huge hit at any gathering! It’s loaded with tons of cheese and a mouthwatering tomato sauce. It’s actually very easy to prepare – great for make-ahead meals. You should definitely try this dish at home. Read on for the full recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 finely minced onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 minced anchovy fillets
• 3/4 teaspoon of table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 128 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil
• 3 pieces of 10-16 oz eggplant
• flour
• egg
• oil for frying
• pecorino cheese
• 1/2 cup of shredded fontina cheese

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Instructions:

Step 1:

In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add 1/4 finely minced onion, 3 cloves of garlic,2 minced anchovy fillets, 3/4 teaspoon of table salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano. Mix everything well. Cook until the onions are slightly softened for about 3 minutes.

Step 2:

Add one can of 128 oz crushed tomatoes and 1 can of 14 0z  diced tomatoes with the juice. Stir it to combine all ingredients, then add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Mix then bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook til it’s slightly thickened for about 10 minutes.

Step 3:

Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the pot. Chop the basil and stir it into the sauce. Set it aside.

Step 4:

Cut the eggplant into paper-thin slices lengthwise. Make 20 slices. Get two flat containers. In the first one, add the flour, and in the second, add the eggs and beat them nicely. Pour a generous amount of oil into a pan. Once the oil is hot, coat the eggplant with flour,  dip it into the eggwash and fry it. Add more eggplant to the pan if there are still some spaces. Cook each side for about 1.5 minutes or until light golden brown, then place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Do the same for the remaining pieces.

Step 5:

In a baking dish, put 1 cup of sauce and spread it around evenly. Take the bigger sizes of eggplant and place them on top of the first layer of sauce. Put 4 pieces of eggplant slices in each layer. Next, put 1/2 cup of sauce, 1/2 cup of pecorino cheese, and the second layer of eggplant. Repeat until you add all the eggplant slices. On the top, sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded fontina cheese.

Step 6:

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F with the rack placed on the upper middle position for about 30 minutes. After that, switch to broil and brown the cheese on top for about 3 minutes, but make sure to keep a close eye on it as it might get burnt.

Step 7:

Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Crispy and Cheesy Eggplant Pecorino