Zucchini Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

For the sauce:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and cook, stirring until the garlic is lightly golden, about 1 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and cook over medium heat, uncovered for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and add basil and water. Smash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon and simmer for about 25 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and season with salt.

To prepare the zucchini:
Trim the zucchini and halve crosswise, then slice length wise into 18 strips, about 1.4 inches thick. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk the eggs and milk in another dish. In a third dish, combine the panko, Parmesan, garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Working in batches, dredge the zucchini in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture, turning to coat; let the excess drip off, then dredge in the panko mixture, pressing to help it stick. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the zucchini in a single layer and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; season with salt.

To assemble:
Lay 8 pieces of fried zucchini a few inches apart in a 9×13 in baking dish. Top each with a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce, then shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layering (zucchini, sauce, mozzarella. Finish by sprinkling Parmesan, fresh basil, and dried Italian seasoning over the top. Bake until heated trough, about 15 minutes.