Stanley Tucci (65) Shared His Family's Eggplant Parmesan, and It Looks Incredible

Stanley Tucci has built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most trusted voices on food, and it turns out his best material comes straight from home. In his cookbook The Tucci Table, written with his wife Felicity Blunt, he describes his family’s take on the classic dish as a combination of my mother’s eggplant Parmigiana and a French tian, blending old world comfort with a slightly lighter technique.

His mother, Joan Tropiano Tucci, has long been the source behind the food that shows up in his projects, having previously published her own cookbook of family recipes. It is the same kind of home cooking that inspired the kitchen scenes people still talk about in Big Night, the film Tucci co directed decades ago.

Why This Version Stands Out

Unlike the deep fried, breaded version most people picture when they hear eggplant Parmesan, Tucci’s family recipe takes a noticeably lighter approach. The eggplant, along with potato and zucchini, gets broiled first rather than fried, which evaporates excess moisture so the finished dish never turns soggy.

That lighter spin has taken on a life of its own online too. Food writers have since built entire viral recipes around the same idea, crediting a simple four ingredient casserole of zucchini, potato and marinara straight back to Tucci’s original family dish.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch pieces
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into half moons (optional)
2 to 3 zucchini, sliced
3 to 4 large tomatoes, sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh basil and parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the eggplant, potato and zucchini slices separately on baking sheets, brush with olive oil and season with salt, then broil each in batches for a few minutes until lightly colored. This step draws out extra moisture so the finished dish does not turn watery.
In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with half the chopped herbs, half the Parmesan, the minced garlic, salt and pepper.
In a baking dish, stand the broiled eggplant, potato and tomato slices upright in rows, alternating the vegetables as you fill the dish.
Sprinkle the herb and breadcrumb mixture between the layers as you go.
Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top, then finish with the rest of the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden, adding a touch more olive oil if the top looks dry.
Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.