Conch Parmigiana Recipe

We picked this recipe up while overnighting on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. This is now our absolute favorite conch recipe! It is basically cracked conch that has been "Italianized".

This recipe makes enough for two.

Ingredients:

1 whole cleaned conch

2 cups flour, seasoned with salt and papper

2 large eggs, beaten

2 cups bread crumbs

1 cup vegetable or olive oil for frying

Tomato pasta sauce - your choice - we like a good marinara

1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced

Grated parmesan cheese

Pasta of your choice (we like penne)

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F (250° C).

2. Lay the conch on a flat surface and slice the conch in half, slicing through parallel to the flat side so that you wind up with two large thin slices.

3. Cover each slice with plastic wrap and pound until meat is shredded. Literally - if you can see through the meat, you need to pound more. The pieces will start to come apart when you have it pounded enough. The meat should be almost paper thin. THis is the trick to getting the conch tender. If you do not pound it enough, the meat will be tough.

4. Takes pieces of the tenderized conch and dredge in flour, then dip in egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. You can "reassemble" the separated bits of conch in this step, as the coating will hold them together.

5. Fry coated conch in oil until golden brown on each side, then transfer to dry paper towel to drain oil.

6. Transfer conch to a baking sheet and top each piece with pasta sauce and couple of slices of mozzarella, salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of the grated parmesan cheese.

7. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted.

8. Remove from oven and plate over pasta.

9. Garnish with basil leaves.

Serve with pasta (penne or spaghetti).