Step 1

Wash the eggplants and slice into approximately ½" - 1" inch rounds. Lay them on a cooling rack or paper towels and generously salt each side of the eggplant with kosher salt. Allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to sweat out any extra bitterness and moisture.

Step 2

Once eggplants have had time to sweat, rinse them thoroughly with water to remove any excess salt and then pat them completely dry.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 400° and line two sheet pans with parchment paper or foil.

Step 4

Crack both eggs into a shallow dish or bowl with the water and scramble them together with a fork or whisk.

Step 5

In a separate shallow dish or bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Step 6

Working with 1-2 slices at a time, dip the eggplant into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to allow the excess egg mixture to drip off of the eggplant before transferring to the breadcrumbs. Press breadcrumbs into all sides of the eggplant to make sure they stick properly to form the crust around the entire eggplant slice.

Step 7

Place breaded eggplant slices on the prepared sheet pans and spray or drizzle them lightly with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Sheet pans may need to be rotated on the shelves halfway through baking to ensure all of the slices brown evenly.

Step 8

In a 9x13 baking dish, spread approximately ½ cup of the italian gravy over the bottom of the pan. Layer half of the eggplant slices over the top of the sauce. Then spread 1 cup of the sauce over the eggplant and top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese. Repeat the second layer with the remaining eggplant slices, sauce, and cheeses.

Step 9

Reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.