Parma-style cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• 1 cup premium flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• About 1 cup of olive oil
• 2.5 tbsp. marinara sauce
• 220 g fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1/3 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a plate with paper towels.
2. Pull the leaves off the base of the cauliflower and cut off the stem, but do not remove the core. Slice the cauliflower into 2cm-thick slices, creating three nice "steaks" in the center. The remaining pieces will break—this is normal.
3. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the eggs in another shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.
4. In a large skillet, add 1/4 inch of olive oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering.
5. Start working with large pieces of cauliflower. Place them in the flour and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the "steaks" in the egg until completely coated. Let the excess drip back into the bowl, then dredge the cauliflower in breadcrumbsFry the cauliflower in batches, without crowding the pan and turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 6-8 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining small cauliflower pieces (do not fry very small pieces).
6. Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread it out. Top with the roasted cauliflower, then spoon 1 cup marinara sauce over the cauliflower. Layer the mozzarella on top of the sauce, then spoon the remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until the cheese is golden brown in spots, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.