Pumpkin Eggplant Parmesan Casserole with Burrata

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 ½ cup (162 g) unseasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
½ cup (118 ml) milk
4 tablespoons olive oil, for lightly pan-frying
½ cup (123 g) pumpkin puree
4 ounces (113 g) mascarpone cheese
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 ounces (227 g) burrata cheese
Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Salt both sides of your eggplant slices and place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Let the liquid drain for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When your eggplant slices have finished draining liquid, brush off the excess salt, as you don’t want it to be too salty and dab the liquid off with a paper towel.

In 2 shallow plates or containers, add breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese to one (mix together) 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 on plate or the large baking sheet and repeat until all eggplant slices have been coated.

Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C)

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive 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, remove and set on a large plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for every 2-3 eggplant slices.

While the eggplant is frying, in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together pumpkin puree, mascarpone cheese, and ground nutmeg. Heat through until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large oven-safe 9×13-inch casserole dish, add a little bit of the pumpkin mascarpone sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices then using a 1/4 cup, dollop more pumpkin sauce on top of the eggplant slices. The idea isn’t to smother the layers with sauce. On top of the eggplant slices, add a piece of burrata cheese, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Repeat the layers until you run out of eggplants slices. Top the casserole with additional burrata cheese before you place in the oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown on top. I used the broiler for 5 minutes to get the cheese nice and brown – you don’t have to, but if you do, watch it carefully!

Serve hot and top with chopped basil, if using.

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