Eggplant Parmesan
This Eggplant Parmesan with Mortadella is a cozy twist on the Italian classic! Layers of crispy battered eggplant, savory mortadella, rich marinara, and gooey shredded mozzarella come together in one comforting, flavor-packed bake. Perfect for family dinners, make-ahead meals, or any time you're craving something cheesy and satisfying.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion cut small cubes
- 4 cups marinara sauce
- 5 leaves fresh basil chopped
- 5 cloves garlic finely grated
For the batter
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup fresh mint finely minced
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For fried eggplant
- 6 eggplant smaller
- 500 grams olive oil for frying
To layer the casserole
- 400 gr mozzarella sliced or cubed
- 16 slices Mortadella
Instructions
Make the sauce:
- In a small saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté the diced onion until soft and translucent. Add the marinara sauce and chopped basil, and let it simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Prepare the batter:
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, Parmesan, shredded garlic, mint, eggs, salt, and water. The consistency should be thick enough to coat your eggplant slices. Add a little more water if it feels too thick.
Salt and drain the eggplant first
- This is absolutely crucial! Slice your eggplant, sprinkle generously with salt, and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. The salt draws out the bitter juices and excess moisture. Pat it dry before cooking; this prevents soggy, watery layers.
Fry the eggplant:
- Dip each slice into the batter and fry in hot oil until golden on both sides. Let them rest on paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
Layer it up:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a baking dish, spread a little marinara sauce. Add a layer of fried eggplant, top with more sauce, Parmesan, mozzarella, and mortadella. Repeat until you run out of ingredients, finishing with sauce and cheese.
Bake to bubbly perfection:
- Bake for 25 minutes, then add a final layer of mozzarella and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes until melted and slightly golden.
Let it rest:
- This part’s hard, but try to let it sit for 10–15 minutes before slicing. It gives the layers time to settle and the flavors to shine.
Notes
- Peeling is optional – The skin is edible, but larger eggplants can have tougher skin.
- Pick smaller eggplants – They're less likely to be bitter or full of seeds.
- Keep it crispy – After frying, place eggplant slices on a baking rack so excess oil drips off.
- Go for quality sauce – A good marinara makes all the difference in flavor.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!