Crunchy breaded eggplant parmesan

For the tomato sauce

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Yield: 4 cups

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray an 11x13-inch baking dish and 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Place eggplant slices on racks over the sink or paper towels and sprinkle both sides of slices lightly with salt. Let eggplant drain for 30 minutes, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels.

Pour beaten eggs into a bowl; combine panko bread crumbs with dry parsley and garlic in another bowl. Dip eggplant into beaten egg and press into panko crumbs to coat.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a thick bottom pan and place breaded eggplant, in small batches. Let them cook about 8 minutes on each side or until golden and crunchy.

Spread 1/3 of the tomatoes sauce into bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the eggplant slices, half the Italian cheese blend, and half the Parmesan cheese. Spread another 1/3 of the sauce over the layers; layer the remaining eggplant, remaining pasta sauce, Italian cheese blend, and Parmesan cheese.

Bake casserole in the 350-degree oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20 minutes.