A FRESH PERSPECTIVE on classic dishes has earned chef Joe Papach rave reviews at the Harvey House in Madison, Wis. Here, in his second Slow Food Fast recipe, Mr. Papach re-engineers eggplant Parmesan so that each component cooks separately. No soggy texture, no muddled flavors.

Planks of fried eggplant sit atop a sauce made with fruity Sungold tomatoes. Rather than melting mozzarella on top, Mr. Papach tears off shreds of room-temperature cheese and scatters them over the dish to soften in the residual heat from the other...

The Chef: Joe Papach

Illustration: Michael Hoeweler

His Restaurant: The Harvey House in Madison, Wis.

What He’s Known For: Partnering with his wife, Shaina Robbins Papach, to turn an old train depot into a fine-dining destination. Reinventing the supper club. Using regional traditions as a jumping-off point for modern Midwestern cooking.

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE on classic dishes has earned chef Joe Papach rave reviews at the Harvey House in Madison, Wis. Here, in his second Slow Food Fast recipe, Mr. Papach re-engineers eggplant Parmesan so that each component cooks separately. No soggy texture, no muddled flavors.

Planks of fried eggplant sit atop a sauce made with fruity Sungold tomatoes. Rather than melting mozzarella on top, Mr. Papach tears off shreds of room-temperature cheese and scatters them over the dish to soften in the residual heat from the other elements. Finished with lemon zest and torn basil, it’s the comfort food we love, only lighter and brighter.

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—Kitty Greenwald is a chef, food writer and the co-author of ‘Slow Fires’ (Clarkson Potter)

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