Gram Gram’s Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe

This Gram Gram’s Eggplant Parmigiana recipe layers golden fried eggplant with homemade red sauce, creamy ricotta, melted scamorza or mozzarella, and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano. Featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3, this comforting Italian-inspired dish is prepared by host Shahir Massoud and makes a satisfying vegetarian main course for family dinners and special gatherings.

The Inspiration

Known in Italian as melanzane alla Parmigiana, the dish traditionally combines slices of eggplant with tomato sauce and cheese before being baked until bubbling and deeply savoury. The exact preparation varies from one family and region to another, but its comforting combination of vegetables, tomatoes, and melted cheese remains unmistakable.

Gram Gram’s Eggplant Parmigiana comes directly from Your Pasta Sucks and is featured on Cook the Books: Celebrity Edition Season 3 with host Shahir Massoud. The recipe celebrates the kind of family-style cooking that is often passed down through generations, with each layer contributing to a casserole that feels generous, nostalgic, and made for sharing.

This recipe requires several stages, including preparing the sauce, shallow-frying the eggplant, assembling the layers, and baking the casserole. None of the individual techniques is overly complicated, but the complete process benefits from organization and careful timing.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying
3 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 large or 2 medium Italian eggplants (about 1 ¼ lb), cut into ½ inch (13 mm) slices
3 cups red sauce, recipe follows
A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 lb scamorza cheese or fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices
½ cup finely grated (on a box grater) Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the Red Sauce

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, smashed then peeled
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Two 24 oz jars tomato passata (aka strained tomato purée)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 cup basil leaves

Method

Make the Red Sauce

In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the olive oil and garlic and let it start to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic gets a little color, about 2 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
Add the passata, the 1 tbsp of salt, and 1 cup of hot water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and lower the heat to cook at a nice moderate simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened slightly, 20 to 25 minutes.
Scoop out and discard the garlic, then add the basil, tearing the leaves as you do. Stir to wilt the basil, season with salt, and turn off the heat. You’ll have about 6 cups of sauce.

Make the Eggplant Parmigiana

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm about ¼ inches (6mm) of olive oil until it’s shimmery. Line a large platter or baking sheet with paper towels. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the eggs and milk and whisk well. In another large, shallow bowl, add the flour and 2tsp of salt and mix well.
One by one, coat three or four eggplant slices in the egg mixture, then the flour, then add to the skillet. Fry, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
As they’re done, transfer the slices to the paper towels and top with more paper towels to get rid of oiliness. Repeat until you’ve fried them all. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the oil and bring down its temperature. Top up the oil if it gets low and let it heat back up before adding the next batch.
Start layering in an 8 by 8 in (20 by 20cm) baking dish: First goes a thin layer of the sauce, then a layer of eggplant (slightly overlapping the slices to fit the dish just fine), then a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add a layer of ricotta, scamorza, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat until you’ve used everything up, ending with a layer of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake, uncovered, until there’s bubbling around the edges and the edges begin to pull away from the baking dish, 30 to 40 minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes, so you’re not serving eggplant soup, then serve.

Serving Suggestions

Gram Gram’s Eggplant Parmigiana is substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian main course. Pair it with a crisp green salad dressed with lemon and extra-virgin olive oil to balance the richness of the fried eggplant and cheese. A simple arugula salad, Caesar salad, or tomato and cucumber salad would provide freshness without competing with the casserole’s bold flavours.

Serve the dish with warm crusty bread, garlic bread, or grilled ciabatta for soaking up the red sauce left on the plate. The casserole can also be accompanied by roasted vegetables, sautéed greens, or lightly seasoned green beans. For a larger Italian-inspired dinner, serve smaller portions alongside pasta, risotto, or a selection of antipasti.

This Eggplant Parmigiana is especially well suited to Sunday dinners, holiday meals, potlucks, and family gatherings. Present it directly in the baking dish for a warm, casual atmosphere, or portion it onto individual plates with fresh basil and a small amount of additional Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Final Thoughts

This Gram Gram’s Eggplant Parmigiana recipe celebrates the comforting flavours of Italian family-style cooking. Golden fried eggplant, fragrant tomato-basil sauce, creamy ricotta, melted scamorza or mozzarella, and savoury Parmigiano-Reggiano come together in a bubbling casserole filled with satisfying textures.

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