Whereas a typical serving of eggplant parm is a greasy, gooey mess, the version that David Iknaian works into a sandwich at his Brookline shop, Panelli’s Pizza + Parm, is as tidy as it is tasty. Between the halves of toasted Iggy’s ciabatta, he layers mellow, milky-rich Fiore di Nonno mozzarella and adds just enough red sauce to moisten the bread without saturating it. The final touch is thin-sliced eggplant slabs that are breaded in herb- and cheese-seasoned crumbs, fried to order and piled so neatly that the cross-section looks like a savory stack cake.

Eggplant parmesan sandwich, $13.50 at Panelli’s Pizza + Parm, 415 Harvard St., Brookline (617-232-0512) facebook.com/panellispizza