Elegant Eggplant Parmigiana

1. Prep the Tomato Sauce

Puree the crushed tomatoes in a food processor until smooth, around 10 pulses. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds. Pour in the pureed tomatoes, season with ¼ teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.

2. Prepare the Eggplant

Position oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle slots. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and brush each with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Lay half the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheets, brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Roast eggplant until tender and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes, swapping and rotating sheets halfway through. Cool eggplants on the sheets, then transfer to wire racks. Repeat with remaining eggplant.

3. Assemble and Bake

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the tomato sauce in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Arrange a quarter of the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Add ¼ cup sauce, then a third of the mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmigiano. Repeat the layering process with the remaining eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano—ending with a layer of eggplant and the last of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle the final ¼ cup of Parmigiano over the sauce and bake until the edges bubble, around 25 minutes.