Aggie's Eggplant Parmesan (Serves 4-6)

Simple but time-consuming. Find a friend to keep you company.

2 medium eggplants–best if Farmer's Market fresh.

1 jar of good quality spaghetti sauce*

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal and ½ cup unbleached flour for breading

1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning

2 eggs

1/4 cup of water

Fresh basil

½ to 3/4 lb of mozzarella–fresh if possible and sliced thinly

½ cup parmesan

2 fresh tomatoes chopped.

*Hint: If you like a more flavorful sauce–or you bought the cheapest and want to enhance it, freshly sauteed garlic and onion can be added, along with any mixture of Italian herbs such as oregano, basil, crushed fennel and anise seeds. Season to taste. Add a little red wine or water if it seems too thick to pour easily.

Coat a 9" x 13" pan with some of the spaghetti sauce, (heated or unheated) just enough to cover the surface.

If the eggplant is young and fresh, don't peel. If in doubt, do. Slice eggplant approximately 1/2" thick.

Beat eggs with water in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Mix cornmeal and flour on a dinner plate and season with creole seasoning or any seasoned salt that you prefer.

Heat broiler to high and spray broiler pan with non-stick spray or brush with olive or canola oil.

Dip both sides of eggplant slices in egg mixture, then dip both sides into flour mixture–you don't need an excess. Continue until broiler pan is filled and begin to broil. Flip when the eggplant begins to brown. When the second side has browned and the eggplant can easily be pierced by a fork, it's done.

If you have a second broiler pan, bread the remaining eggplant while you wait, if not, wait until the first broiler pan is free. Place the broiled eggplant slices in the 9"x13" pan, covering the bottom. Then begin the second batch. Never walk away from the broiler, and watch carefully that the eggplant or bits of topping don't burn.

Top eggplant in the 9" x 13" pan with a layer of half the mozzarella. Sprinkle with parmesan and lots of chopped fresh basil. Divide the rest of the sauce and cover this layer with half. Repeat with the remaining broiled eggplant and mozzarella and fresh basil. Cover with a layer of fresh chopped tomatoes, the last of the sauce and top with remaining parmesan.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 1/2 hour. Eggplant should be tender and all ingredients blended nicely. Serves 4-6.