Grandma's Italian Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients

• 2 medium Italian eggplants , peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 tablespoons sea salt , plus more to taste
• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil , or as needed
• 5 large eggs , room temperature
• 3 tablespoons water , room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper , or to taste
• 2 cups freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese , divided
• 40 ounces Italian-style tomato sauce
• 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 30 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Arrange eggplant slices on paper towels; sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture. Cover with paper towels. Let sit for 8 hours to overnight.

2. 2

   Heat 2 inches oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Line baking sheets with paper towels.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, beat eggs and water together in a small bowl; season with salt and black pepper and set aside.

4. 4

   Place flour in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag; season with salt and black pepper. Shake the bag to mix. Add 6 eggplant slices to the bag; seal and shake until eggplant coated.

5. 5

   Remove eggplant from flour and shake off excess; dip into egg mixture, turning to ensure both sides are coated. Lift up so excess egg mixture drips back into the bowl.

6. 6

   Lower eggplant carefully into the hot oil; fry until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each slice with 1 tablespoon Pecorino Romano cheese. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Repeat breading and frying process with remaining eggplant slices.

7. 7

   Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

8. 8

   Pour a small amount of tomato sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish to cover bottom.

9. 9

   Place 1/3 eggplant slices over sauce, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle 1/3 each of remaining Pecorino-Romano cheese and Parmesan cheese evenly on top. Cover with a light layer of sauce; sprinkle 1/3 mozzarella cheese over sauce. Repeat layers twice more for a total of 3 layers.

10. 10

    Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes to set.