Eggplant Parmesean

This recipe is adapted from Everyday Food Magazine and the Pioneer woman.  I wanted to do the eggplant, but the PW's sauce on her chicken parmesean I liked much better.

2 large globe eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs (I used italian)
Vegetable oil, for frying

½ cups Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Wine (white Or Red Is Fine)
3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cups Chopped Fresh Parsley
 Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (the real stuff, that you grate yourself... so much tastier!!)
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Put the eggplant in a colander tossed with 1 1/2 tsp salt.  This extracts water out of the eggplant.  Let it stand for 30 min.

2.  Meanwhile, start your sauce. Heat the olive oil and butter on medium until melted.  add the onion and garlic and cook for about 2 -5 minutes.  Add the wine and reduce to about half.  This should take a few minutes.  I find I usually need to turn the heat up just a bit for this.  Add your tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

3.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Heat vegetable oil on stove on med. high.  It should come to about 1/2 way up the pan.  Dredge the eggplant in the flour, then dip in the egg, then lightly coat with the breadcrumbs.  To test your oil, drop a pinch of breadcrumbs in, if it sizzles it's ready. 

4.  Once it's ready, place a few slices of eggplant in the oil at a time.  Don't crowd.  They need about 2-3 minutes per side, until they are golden brown.  Remove and place on a rack over a baking sheet. 

5.  Put about 1 cup of sauce in a 9x13 pan, then put half the eggplant on top. Top it with cheese (you can use the parmesean here, or a blend of mozzerella, or an italian blend.), then more sauce.  Place the rest of the eggplant on top, and top with sauce and parmesean cheese. 

6.  Bake for 40-45 minutes.

You can serve this over pasta, or by itself with a salad.