 | | Directions | - Make tomato Sauce: Place all ingredients in medium pot and cook for 35-45 minutes, covered. Puree with immersion blender or food processor.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place sliced eggplants in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 15-30 minutes, then rinse to remove salt and drain on paper towel.
- Place flour in pie plate and dredge eggplant, coating all sides, set aside to fry.
- Make bechamel sauce: Melt butter in medium pot and whisk in flour. Warm milk in microwave. Add warm milk in steady stream to flour mixture, stirring contstantly until sauce is thick and creamy. Add fresh grated nutmeg or dry nutmeg. If sauce is too thick, whisk in more milk.
- Season with salt.
- Heat olive oil in fry pan. Fry eggplant slices, few at a time, on both sides until golden. Transfer to paper towel to cool after frying.
To Assemble:
- Spread layer of tomato sauce on bottom of baking dish. Top with layer of eggplant, spread on more tomato sauce, layer of bechamel sauce and dusting of cheese. Continue layering until all ingredients are used (will be 3-4 layers of each) ending with cheese.
- Bake 40 minutes (or until golden). Slice into wedges and serve hot.
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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5 hours
Container: 9 x 11 casserole dish
Servings: 8
|  | | Ingredients | | - | | Tomato Sauce: |
| - | | 3 medium carrots, diced |
| - | | 2 stalks celery, diced |
| - | | 1 red onion |
| - | | 2 cloves garlic, peeled, whole |
| - | | 2 pounds canned tomatoes with juice |
| - | | 6 leaves fresh basil or 2 tablespoons dry |
| - | | 2 tablespoons olive oil |
| - | | salt and pepper |
| - | | Eggplant: |
| - | | 2 large, peeled eggplants, cut into 1/3 inch slices |
| - | | 1 cup flour |
| - | | 1 cup olive oil |
| - | | 2 cups parmesan cheese |
| - | | Bechamel Sauce: |
| - | | 8 tablespoons unsalted butter |
| - | | 1 cup flour |
| - | | 4 cups whole milk, warm |
| - | | optional: grated or dry nutmeg |
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