Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

eggplant
fresh bread crumbs
egg
milk
flour
mozzarella or other cheese of Italian quality
a lovely spaghetti sauce made from puree
fresh herbs such as basil, parsley and of course fresh garlic

Directions:

First off, our aim is to slice as thin as possible, the eggplant, lengthwise removing the ends . It is not necessary to peel the eggplant other than for your first and last slices. The sliced eggplant is then layered in a pan and salted in order to remove as much water as possible. This process usually takes a few hours. The eggplant is then breaded in the usual manner. Flour, eggwash-about 1 egg per cup of milk and then into the breadcrumbs, sifting out both the flour and the breadcrumbs if they get lumpy. The object now is to fry the breaded eggplant, in a light flavored oil that doesn't burn....and as we fry we must take care that the oil does not burn from the breadcrumbs, dicarding it if necessary and freshening the pan with new oil. If you are frying quantity, heat your oven to a low temp and place your eggplant on paper toweling to absorb oils. We then place the fried eggplant on a nice warm plate, covering it as much as possible with one layer. Cover it with shredded cheese and then cover that with sauce. Finally, say a prayer to god everynite for this wonderful recipe.