This is optional but really worth it. Place the eggplant slices on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle them with salt on both sides and allow them to sit for about 1 hour. The salt draws out the liquid plus the bitter flavor. After an hour, pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, dijon mustard, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the oregano, garlic powder, thyme, parsley, basil, onion powder, salt, and pepper, salt, and pepper. With tongs, coat both sides of the eggplant in the flour first, shake off excess. Then dip them into the egg mixture and lastly into the panko mixture. Be sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. You can slightly press the panko mixture into the eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

In a large skillet, pour enough olive oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom, about 1/3 cup. Heat the oil until hot (should sizzle with a light splash of water). With tongs, add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan but don't overcrowd. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and place back on the baking sheets. As you continue to cook the eggplant, add more olive oil to the pan as you go.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, pour and spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom. Now layer in the eggplant slices into three rows, slightly overlapping. Start with the larger slices first and work down to smaller ones (see third photo below). Top evenly with a layer of marinara sauce, about 1 cup the fried eggplant, and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Place the dish in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 35 min. When finished, let rest 5 min. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and fresh sliced basil.