Eggplant/aubergine parmesan (Parmigiana di melanzane) is one of the classics of Italian cuisine, which has many variations from north to south. In all cases the eggplants are usually deep-fried, the recipes from south Italy includes a batter of eggs, followed by breadcrumbs coating before being fried.
In this recipe, I opted for cooking them in the oven (coated in oil) but this will be a lighter version but not less delicious 😉 .
Ingredients | 3-4 servings
- 3-4 big Eggplants
- 3 cups Tomato puree (passata)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 mozzarella
- 60g/2oz Basil
- 100g/3.5oz Ground Parmesan Cheese
- Extra virgin Olive Oil to taste
Preparation
– Cut the eggplants into disks, sprinkle salt, place them in a sieve and wait for 1-2 hours so they lose their water and become soft.
– Cut the mozzarella in 1cm/0.3inch (if they are fresh) let them rest at room temperature. This way they will lose water.
– Make the marinara sauce: sauté garlic in olive oil, add tomato puree, salt, pepper and cook all together for 10 minutes.
– Turn off the heat and add chopped fresh basil.
– Back to eggplants: pour oil on them and make sure they are coated in oil completely. Put them in the preheated (on 180C°/360F°) and cook each side until their surface becomes golden. (both sides)
Time to Ensemble!
– Setup your working space and bring a casserole where we cook Parmigiana.
With this order, add layers until all ingredients are finished:
- 1- A layer of tomato sauce
- 2- Eggplants
- 3- Tomato sauce
- 4- Mozzarella (again)
- 5- Sprinkle of parmesan cheese
– The last layer should be a mix of marinara sauce and parmesan cheese on top.
Place casserole in the preheated oven (on the bottom side) at 190°C/ 374°F for ⏳ 40-50 mins
Notes
- Before serving wait 1 hour at least so the Parmigiana cools down. When it’s hot, it seems very humid and watery. All the juice will be re-absorbed when it’s cooling down.
- 36 months Parmesan Cheese gives a tastier flavor to the dish.
- The type of eggplant/aubergine used for this dish is called Italian eggplant. They are usually large and short in height with a dark purple color. Since we don’t peel them, better be organic.
Buon appetito!