Fried eggplant can be eaten on its own as a tasty side dish, or used as the basis for other dishes,including eggplant parmesan. If you're looking for a great fried eggplant recipe, read on! This page will teach you how to make fried eggplant, step by step.

Good fried eggplant should have a thin crispy coating, and a soft tender interior that has not soaked up too much grease. The key to great fried eggplant, that is soft and flavorful, but not greasy, is using hot oil, and salting the eggplant before frying.

Assemble all the ingredients before beginning. You'll need:

• 1 eggplant, about 3/4 pound
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons cup Italian parsley, minced
• 1/3 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Salting the eggplant before cooking removes the excess liquid and helps the eggplant soak up less oil.

1. Slice the eggplant into the desired shape and size. If you need cutlets for eggplant parmesan, slice the eggplant cross-wise in 1/2 inch slices.
2. Sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt, and allow the salted slices to drain between paper towels for at least an hour.

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Place beaten egg into a shallow bowl.
3. Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper in a separate shallow bowl or plate.
4. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture.
5. Place each breaded eggplant slice into the hot oil.
6. You'll probably need to do several batches to avoid crowding the eggplant.
7. Fry each eggplant slice until golden brown on each side.
8. Place the cutlets on paper towels to drain off the extra oil before serving or using in a recipe.