- Sprinkle each piece of eggplant with salt and place on paper towels for 30 minutes to drain.
- Rinse with water and drain; set aside.
- Heat oven to 425°F.
- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, mix together panko, Italian seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.
- Dip a piece of eggplant in egg, then dip in panko mixture until eggplant is coated; set on baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining eggplant and evenly space them on baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until panko is toasted and slightly golden.
- Remove from oven; set aside.
- Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce over bottom of an 8-by-11-inch baking dish.
- Place half of eggplant in a single layer in baking dish.
- Spread another cup of tomato sauce over eggplant.
- Sprinkle 1 cup Mozzarella cheese over sauce, then 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup fresh basil.
- Repeat with another layer of remaining eggplant, tomato sauce, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cheese is melted and starts to turn slightly golden around edges.
- Remove and sprinkle with remaining basil.
- Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Approximate Nutrient Analysis per serving:
370 calories, 13 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 1100 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 21 g protein