2 medium eggplants, about 6″ to 8″ long
kosher salt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp of red crushed pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 25-oz. jar marinara
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 tsp of italian seasoning
16 oz. whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
4 cup shredded mozzarella
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cut ends of eggplants and slice thinly, about 1/4” thick. Lay slices on a cooling rack and season with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Flip, season again, and let sit for another 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté garlic for 1 minute, then add onions, italian seasoning, 1 tsp of the red crushed pepper and the oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add marinara and the chopped basil and cook until warmed through.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, sour cream, 1tsp of the crushed pepper and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
In a 9″-x-13″ casserole dish, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce, a single layer of eggplant “noodles”, a layer of ricotta mixture, then a layer of mozzarella; repeat layers. Top last layer of eggplant with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.
