Kitchen Cats: Eggplant Parmesan

On a streak of recipes that we've loved from Cooking Light recently, we made eggplant Parmesan tonight and again had a hit. Because this eggplant is panko-coated and oven-baked (not fried) before baking with the sauce and cheeses, it doesn't get soggy, doesn't get heavy and greasy. Very crisp and light, with great panko taste. The several different cheeses each add great flavor too.

Eggplant Parmesan

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp water
2 cups panko
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
Two 1-lb eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Either: 1/2 cup fresh basil (didn't have) or 1/5 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup (1 oz) fresh grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 tsp minced garlic
16 oz ricotta cheese (part skim)
1 large egg

32 oz jarred pasta sauce
8 oz mozzarella, thinly sliced
3/4 cup (3 oz) finely grated fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 375-degrees.

Eggplant:
- Combine 2 eggs and water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and Parmesan cheese in 2nd shallow dish.
- Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then dredge in panko.
- Place eggplant slices on baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes (rotate sheets after 15 minutes).

Filling: Combine basil, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic, ricotta, egg in a bowl.

Assemble:
- Spoon 1/2 - 1 cup pasta sauce in bottom of 13x9" glass dish.
- Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce.
- Top eggplant with 1/2 cup pasta sauce.
- Spread half of ricotta mixture over eggplant.
- Top with 1/3 of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina.
- Repeat layers once: sauce eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, sauce
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 35 minutes
- remove foil, add remaining mozzarella and fontina. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.