Skillet-Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This lighter riff on eggplant Parm skips the messy breading and comes together all in one skillet. Toasted Parmesan breadcrumbs are sprinkled on top, at the end, for crunch.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time1 1/4 hours
- 6
This isn’t exactly eggplant Parmesan, but it’s a cheesy, tomatoey, one-skillet dish with an equally high comfort-food quotient that’s much easier to make. We skip the messy breading on the eggplant and brown the slices naked, then simmer them in a garlicky tomato-basil sauce. For textural contrast, we garnish the dish after baking with toasted panko breadcrumbs that have been mixed with salty, savory pecorino cheese. Italian eggplant is the type to use here; they’re smaller, thinner-skinned and less seedy than standard globe eggplants, but not as slim as Japanese or Chinese varieties. Serve with a warm crusty Italian loaf—or better yet, with slices of buttery garlic bread.
Don’t be concerned that the eggplant isn’t fully cooked after browning. The slices will finish cooking directly in the sauce, soaking up lots of tomato and garlic flavor.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. In a 12-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium, combine 1 tablespoon oil, the panko and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer to a small bowl and stir in half of the pecorino; set aside.
Step 2
In the same skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil until shimmering. Add half of the eggplant in a single layer, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cook until the eggplant is spotty brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the slices and cook until the second sides are spotty brown, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a large plate.
Using 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil, brown the remaining eggplant in the same way, then transfer to the plate with the first batch.
Step 3
In the same skillet over medium, stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the tomatoes with juices, garlic, pepper flakes, half of the basil and 1 teaspoon salt. Remove about 1 cup of the tomato mixture.
Arrange the eggplant on top of the tomato mixture remaining in the skillet, overlapping the slices as needed, then spoon the reserved tomato mixture on top. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium and cook, uncovered, until a skewer inserted into the eggplant meets no resistance, 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 4
Off heat, sprinkle evenly with the remaining pecorino, followed by the mozzarella. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is beginning to brown and the edges are bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven (the handle will be hot). Cool for about 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining basil and the panko mixture. Serve directly from the skillet.