Eggplant parmigiana with zucchini

Ingredients

For the eggplant and zucchini

• 1 kg medium eggplant
• 500 g zucchini
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the crust

• 3 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 cups grated Parmesan
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 120 ml milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

For the spinach

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 kg fresh spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the marinara sauce

• 1000 ml water
• 1 kg tomatoes
• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1/4 chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 basil leaf

For assembling

• 1/2 kg grated mozzarella
• 2 cups grated Parmesan

Preparation

1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1.5 cm thick. Salt them with 1 teaspoon of salt, put them in a colander with a weight on top, and leave for 60 minutes. Peel the zucchini, slice them lengthwise, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. 2. Heat the oven to 190°C for 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix 3 cups of breadcrumbs, 2 cups of Parmesan, 1 cup of olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Beat the eggs with the milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a second bowl; put the flour in a third. 3. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture, then arrange them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Do the same with the zucchini. Bake the slices for 15 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. 4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep skillet and brown 3 chopped garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Add the washed spinach, without squeezing it dry, then 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes over low heat, then cook uncovered for another 5 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated from the pan. 5. Bring 1000 ml of water to a boil in 5 minutes and blanch the tomatoes for 1 minute. Drain, peel, and cut them into pieces. Heat 60 ml of olive oil in a wok and brown 8 chopped garlic cloves for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, and 1/4 chopped chili pepper. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes over medium heat, until thickened; add a basil leaf toward the end. 6. Spoon a few tablespoons of marinara sauce into an ovenproof dish. Layer the eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, spinach, zucchini, sauce, and mozzarella, then add another layer of eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of Parmesan on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, until browned on top. 7. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.