Eggplant Parmesan

Easy Eggplant Parmesan
1 average / large eggplant
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp water
1/4 C unbleached flour (or chickpea flour for my wheat free friends)
1/8 tsp pepper
2-4 tbsp unrefined oil, for frying
1 C parmesan cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce, a thicker/ creamier kind works better than a watery/ chunky style
1 C mozzarella
shredded fresh basil (optional)

The first thing you need to know about cooking with fresh eggplant is that you need to get that bitter juice out so that that's not all you taste. Wash, skin if you like and slice your eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. generously salt both sides of each slice and let them sit in a dish to juice up in the fridge 30 minutes to an hour.

see the droplets? Rinse them off and set them on a towel to dry while you start the next step.
Preheat your oven to 400. Begin heating the oil over medium heat. In a little bowl mix the flour and pepper. Combine your eggs and water in another dish and dip each slice of eggplant into the egg first and then the flour, coating both sides. Drop them into the hot oil and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove and let drain over a towel on a wire rack.
Then spread a spoonful of pasta sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish and make a single layer of cooked eggplant. Top with parmesan and a sparing layer of pasta sauce. Repeat until you run out of eggplant. top with enough sauce to thinly cover the whole surface and sprinkle with the mozzarella evenly.
Bake uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes and top with the basil, if you want it.
Enjoy!