MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA

 

MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA 

(EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA)

Preparation Time 80 minutes / Cooking Time 40 minutes / Total time 120 minutes

Ingredients

1 Large Eggplant

300 g Pomodoro Sauce

80 g Parmigiano Reggiano

120 g Fior di Latte “Mozzarella”

10 g Fresh Basil

200 ml EVOO for fried

Salt/pepper

A/P Flour for Dusting

Instructions

• Prepare the eggplant: Thinly slice the eggplant and place in a colander. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let sit for 1 hour to draw out excess water.
• Rinse and dry: Rinse the eggplant slices under cold water and pat dry with a towel. Lightly dust each slice with flour, shaking off excess.
• Fry the eggplant: Heat EVOO in a pan and fry the eggplant slices until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
• Preheat the oven: Preheat to 180 °C (350 °F). Lightly spoon some Pomodoro sauce into a baking dish (about 6×5 inches) to prevent sticking.
• Assemble the layers: Add a layer of fried eggplant. Spoon a few spoons of Pomodoro sauce over it. Sprinkle with Parmigiano, add mozzarella cubes, and fresh basil. Repeat layers until the final layer remains. Top layer and bake: For the top layer, spoon tomato sauce and top with Parmigiano and mozzarella. Cover loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
• Rest and serve: Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Beginner Tips

1. Salt the eggplant properly

This is the step beginners skip but it’s the difference between soggy and perfect. Salt draws out excess water and softens the flesh. 30 minutes minimum, then pat dry.

2. Don’t drown it in oil

Eggplant is a sponge. If you fry it in a deep pan with lots of oil, it will drink everything.

3. Keep the sauce simple

Eggplant Parmigiana is about balance. A clean tomato sauce (passata + garlic + basil) is all you need. Avoid heavy seasoning.

4. Use two cheeses

Fior di Latte Mozzarella for melt, Parmigiano for flavor. If you only use mozzarella, the dish becomes bland.

5. Layer lightly

Beginners often build thick, sloppy layers. Aim for thin layers so the dish cooks evenly and slices beautifully.

6. Let it rest

Right out of the oven it’s molten lava. After 10 minutes, the cheese sets and the flavors settle.