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1
Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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2
Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and the red pepper flakes; cook until the onions are soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes.
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3
Add the sugar and tomatoes and break up some of the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
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4
Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes are fairly broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.
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5
Taste for seasoning.
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6
Let cool.
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7
Prepare the eggplant: Put the eggplant rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
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8
Sprinkle with salt on both sides and let sit, about 1 hour.
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9
Rinse the eggplant with cold water and dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
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10
(Salting the eggplant draws out the liquid and bitter flavor, but it's optional: Skip this step if you don't have time.)
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11
Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.
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12
In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and season with salt and pepper.
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13
In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
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14
Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess.
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15
Dip in the egg mixture and finally in the breadcrumbs, coating both sides.
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16
Lay the eggplant slices on baking sheets in a single layer.
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17
Heat about 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly (between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F).
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18
Using tongs, add a single layer of eggplant to the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
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19
Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season lightly with salt.
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20
Repeat until all of the eggplant is fried.
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21
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spoon about one-quarter of the tomato sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
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22
Top with a layer of the fried eggplant, overlapping the slices slightly.
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23
Top with about one-quarter of the mozzarella, then sprinkle with about one-third each of the parmesan, provolone and basil.
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24
Repeat the layering 2 more times (sauce, eggplant, cheese, basil), then finish with the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
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25
Press the layers firmly into the dish.
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26
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes.
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27
For an extra-brown top, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving.
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28
Photograph by Christina Holmes
