Slice each eggplant to give you ½” pieces ensuring you have about 12 rounds to fit in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Lay slices of eggplant out on a wire rack and salt generously. Allow them to sweat for about 1 ½ hours (this step can be skipped if desired, but it will draw out a lot of water, any bitterness, while also keeping the breaded pieces from getting soggy). Pat dry well with paper towels before starting the breading process.

Preheat oven to 425F and grease a 9x13 casserole dish, then set it aside.

Heat about 1-2 tablespoon oil and 1-2 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a large skillet (the amount you will need may vary depending on how large your pan is, you want a thin layer over the whole pan).

Working in batches dip eggplant in flour, then coat in egg allowing any excess to drip off, then fully cover in bread crumbs, lightly pressing them down to stick well.

Fry eggplant for a couple minutes per side to get a golden color, then set aside and repeat adding more oil and butter as you go.

Place enough sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish to make a thin base (about ½-¾ cup), then place a layer of breaded eggplant working with various sized pieces to cover as much as possible.

Spoon as much sauce over each piece as desired (about 1 cup or so) and then sprinkle 2 cups of cheese.

Repeat with the second layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese. Cover with tinfoil (pro tip: spray the inside with non-stick spray to prevent the cheese from sticking) and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes and 5 minutes uncovered if desired.