12slicescrusty breadsliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
Instructions
Salt both sides of your eggplant slices and place them on a large baking sheet with a wire rack on top. Let the liquid drain for 30 minutes.
When your eggplant slices have finished draining liquid, pat dry with a paper towel and brush off the excess salt as you don't want it to be too salty!
In 2 shallow plates, add breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese to one (stir to mix up) and whisk eggs and milk in the other. Dip both sides of eggplant slice into milk/egg mixture then cover with breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place the wire rack on the baking sheet you already used previously and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into the skillet. Once the skillet is hot, add two eggplant slices at a time to the skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown and eggplant is softened/mostly cooked through. Remove and set back on the wire rack. Repeat with 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil for every 2 eggplant slices.
To assemble the sandwich: on one slice of bread, spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce on top, then add the cheese, 2 eggplant slices, basil leaf, then more cheese, if desired. Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread. Repeat until all assembled.
In a clean skillet, add butter to the pan and turn the heat to medium. Once the butter has melted, place two or three (as much as you can fit) assembled sandwiches into the skillet. Let the cheese slowly melt and the bread get brown. Once bread is browned on one side, flip to cook the other side.
Repeat until all the sandwiches are cooked. Slice and serve!