• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the tomato sauce:

• In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, and add the tomatoes, 1/4 tsp. salt, the sugar, and one teaspoon each of the oregano, basil, and garlic powder. Also, add the chicken broth, and hot pepper flakes. Simmer, covered, for thirty minutes.

For the eggplant:

• As the sauce simmers, prepare three bowls for breading the eggplant. In the first bowl, mix the flour with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. In the second bowl, mix the beaten eggs. In the third bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and the rest of the salt, pepper, and spices.
• Meanwhile, heat a 1/4 inch of oil in a large cast iron skillet, until a small piece of eggplant sizzles immediately.
• Dip one piece of eggplant at a time into each of the three bowls. Each slice should be completely covered in breadcrumbs. Fry about 4 slices at a time, until each side is brown and crispy. Flip each slice over only once. Drain the cooked eggplant on a wire rack.
• In a 13x9 casserole dish, place a 1/3 of the eggplant slices, topped with 1 cup of sauce, and 1 cup of cheese. Repeat twice. You will have leftover sauce. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.