Indian eggplant is a little larger in size than an egg; it's so adorable. These eggplants are used in Indian cuisine, but I wanted to try them in an Italian dish.

Slice the eggplant into 1/4" rounds (I don't use the ends of the eggplant).

Liberally sprinkle salt (I use fine sea salt) on the slices, place in a colander; weigh the slices down (I use a paper towel, a plate, and top with a full, gallon milk jug). Leave for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant in the colander under water. Place the slices in a single layer on paper towels. Cover with paper towels and press to remove excess water from the eggplant slices.

Beat three large eggs in a bowl (these eggs are fresh from my hens). Place two cups of breadcrumb mixture in a bowl. Slice or shred the mozzarella.

Dip the eggplant slices in the eggs, then dip and coat in the breadcrumb mixture (I mix plain breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese and a mix of dried Italian herbs, the ratio is at your discretion).

Fry the breaded eggplant slices in oil until browned on each side (turn once). I fry the breaded eggplant slices in batches so that they don't stick to each other. You can opt to bake vs. fry.

Begin with adding the tomato sauce at the bottom of a baking dish. I lightly spray the baking dish with cooking spray to prevent any staining of the sauce. I use a very good store-bought sauce here.

Add a layer of the fried eggplant.

Add a layer of the mozzarella cheese (I just sliced the mozzarella, I think next go around I would shred it for easier distribution) and sprinkle with a 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Add another layer of sauce and fried eggplant slices.

Finish with a layer of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to serve.

How to make eggplant parmesan

A quick way to make a delicious meal using small-size eggplants known as Indian eggplant.