A Large Eggplant Peeled And Sliced Lengthwise Into About ¼ Inch Thick Slices
15 Ounces Of Ricotta Cheese
1/3 Cup Of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Four Cups Of Marinara Sauce (You Can Use Your Favorite Sauce Or Make My Recipe Published On This Web Site On 10/2/10)
A Beaten Egg
A Teaspoon Of Garlic Powder
Two Tablespoons Of Grated Romano Cheese
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
Olive Oil, As Needed
Sea Salt And Black Pepper, To Taste

Combine the ricotta cheese, the garlic powder, the grated cheese, the parsley, and the basil in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Taste and add sea salt and ground black pepper, as desired. Add the beaten egg. Mix well again and set the cheese mixture aside.

Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet on high heat until the oil becomes hot (Note: it should smoke slightly when it is hot enough). Fry the eggplant slices 2 or 3 at a time until soft and golden brown on both sides (2-3 minutes). Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to paper towels as you repeat the process with the remaining eggplant slices, adding more oil as needed. Sprinkle the cooked eggplant while hot with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place and spread out evenly two cups of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a glass or ceramic baking dish (large enough to hold all of the eggplant). Place about two tablespoons of the ricotta cheese mixture on the widest part of an eggplant slice. Roll it up like a cigar. Place the filled eggplant slice (seam side down) into the baking dish on top of the sauce. Repeat the process until all of the eggplant slices have been filled and placed in the baking dish.

Top the eggplant with the remaining two cups of the marinara sauce. Spread the sauce out with a spatula. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese uniformly over the top of the sauce. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.

Let the eggplant sit at room temperature for at least ten minutes before serving.