Portobello Parmesan

Does this photo make portobello parmesan look appetizing? I can’t objectively judge the picture because looking through the several shots I took of my dinner brings back so many tasty memories. Please don’t judge this picture and blow off this recipe. Portobello parmesan is so delicious!  This fun spin on chicken parmesan is saucy and cheesy, but maintains a nice crunch from the fried portobellos. What I found most difficult in making this dish was slicing the portobello mushrooms in half. You might want to buy a few extras mushrooms in case one doesn’t work out so well.

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 basil leaves
Salt and pepper
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced (A tip for slicing: Freeze the mozzarella for thirty minutes for an easier slice.)

Directions:

Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Remove the gills of the portobellos with a spoon, then halve the mushrooms horizontally to make 6 thin rounds.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper flakes (I always add more than the recipe calls for) and garlic; cook 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomatoes and basil and cook until the garlic is soft, about 15 more minutes. Move to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the 1/2 cup parmesan, panko, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs and 2 tablespoons cold water in second bowl. Put the flour in a third bowl.

Coat the mushrooms with flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the eggs and last in the panko mixture, making sure to coat both sides. Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the mushrooms until golden, roughly 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Spread a layer of the tomato sauce in the prepared baking dish. Add the fried mushrooms, then cover with the remaining tomato sauce. Top with the mozzarella and the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan. Bake until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the extra1 tablespoon parsley.