You can call it eggplant parmesan, or simply eggplant parm, but to us it will always be simply parmigiana. In fact, you can make the classic parmigiana with a variety of vegetables – from zucchini to cardoons! It’s always important to specify which vegetable you used; otherwise, parmigiana is considered, by default, to be eggplant parmigiana!
‘Parmigiana di melanzane’ is a typical Sicilian dish, though some claim its origins lie in Romagna or Campania. However, being so delicious, this traditional recipe has been reinterpreted by nearly every region – and by the rest of the world.
Now it’s your turn to learn how to prepare eggplant parm! And don’t forget to browse the photo gallery above; you’ll find some advice to make it even better!
Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients:
700 g eggplant
250 g tomato sauce
250 g sliced mozzarella (or tuma cheese)
80 g grated Grana Padano cheese or caciocavallo cheese
Flour
Basil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Method:
Slice and salt the eggplants. Leave them in a colander, covered with a weight, to extract excess liquid for 30 minutes. Then dry the eggplants slices with a clean paper towel and dip them in flour.
Fry in hot oil and drain on paper towels once cooked on both sides.
Spread 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce on an ovenproof baking dish. Add a layer of fried eggplant (it’s okay if they overlap a little), a handful of Grana (or Parmigiano) cheese, a pinch of salt, slices of mozzarella, and chopped basil leaves. Sprinkle with more tomato sauce.
Keep alternating layers of ingredients: First the eggplants followed by grana cheese, mozzarella, basil, and finally tomato sauce. Finish with a layer of mozzarella, and add a sprinkle of grana cheese with a pinch of pepper. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Buon appetito!
Pics by Giandomenico Frassi, Styling by Beatrice Prada