Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

Step 1

Slice the eggplants into ½” thick disks. Season the slices with salt and set aside on rack to “drain” for 30 minutes. Wipe the salt and excess moisture off with paper towel.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Step 3

Place the flour in a dredging bowl. Place the panko, oregano, and garlic powder in another dredging bowl, and stir to combine. In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of water.

Step 4

Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour, shake off the excess, then in the egg, shake off the excess, then into the panko bread crumbs. Set aside.

Step 5

Heat up a skillet over medium heat, and fill with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan about ¼” up. Place a single layer of eggplant slices into the skillet and fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Make sure to watch that the eggplant slices aren’t burning, and adjust the heat up or down as needed.

Step 6

Place the fried eggplant slices on a tray, season with salt and pepper, then keep in the warm oven while you finish frying all batches of eggplant. Add more olive oil to the skillet as needed.

Step 7

When you’re done frying all the eggplant, remove the eggplant from the oven and increase the temperature to 350 degrees F.

Step 8

To assemble each sandwich, split the hoagie roll in half, then put on a single layer of eggplant slices. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then add a couple spoonfuls of grated parmesan, then a couple spoonfuls of marinara sauce, then a single layer of sliced mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil, then put the top of the sandwich on and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melty. Tuck a few basil leaves into each sandwich, then enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: fifteenspatulas.com.