Breaded Eggplant with Basil and Lemon

EGGPLANT is a Sicilian staple. It plays a large role in the kitchen and has a wide variety of uses. It can be baked, roasted, fried, cooked in myriad combinations with other vegetables (caponatina reigns supreme where this is concerned) and of course can be used in pasta dishes as well. For our purposes, however, and because it is summer when the eggplants are in lush profusion, nothing is so appealing as eggplant that is breaded and gently fried in olive oil and then layered with lemon juice and basil. It is a dish that screams summer and one that is often served at room temperature. My grandmother and my mother made this often and sometimes mixed this with the home-grown guguzza (gigantic zucchini bigger than a baseball bat) on the same plate. Delicious!

Eggplant with Basil and Lemon

1 or 2 eggplants sliced (not too thinly) and salted to sweat

Flour to dredge

3 eggs

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Juice from 2 lemons

Chopped basil (or chiffonade)

Breadcrumbs mixed with several tablespoons of Romano cheese

High quality extra virgin olive oil
Juice from one or two lemons
Basil leaves

Slice the eggplant and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freely sprinkle Kosher salt over all the slices and allow to sweat for about 45 minutes. After about 20-24 minutes, You can turn them and sweat the other side if you like. 

Mix the eggs with the lemon juice, the olive oil and the basil.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the cheese (you'll need at least 4 cups of breadcrumb mixture.

Set up an assembly line starting with a plate with the egg plant, flour, egg mixture, bread crumbs and another plate for the breaded eggplant.  Dredge each slice and then dip in the egg and then bread the slices and place on the clean plate in a circular pattern (as in the photograph above). Squeeze lemon juice over the top of the eggplant and let rest for about 15 minutes.

Heat a large, deep frying pan and pour in enough olive oil to cover the bottom in a generous layer. When the oil ripples and is just on the brink of smoking, place the eggplant slices in the pan. Gently saute until each side is a crisp and golden brown. Layer the eggplant on a platter and continue to fry all the eggplant until you are done. Drizzle more lemon juice on the top of the eggplant, insert basil leaves and lemon wedges around the platter. 

Serve immediately or at room temperature with other antipasti.

Buon appetition!