Eggplant Parmigiana: the recipe for the second course of the Italian tradition

The Eggplant parmigiana It is a great classic of summer tables, much loved, from north to south, all over the trunk. TO second Traditional Italian cuisine, with typically Mediterranean aromas, whose paternity is claimed by many different regions: Campania and Sicily in primis. Less uncertain, however, is the origin of the name, which apparently derives from the Sicilian Parmesan: dialect word used to indicate the stack of wooden slats of blinds similar, in appearance, to vegetables arranged in a frying pan.

The school recipe calls for the aubergines, cut into slices and left to drain in a colander with a weight on top, to be rigorously French fries in boiling seed oil. Once ready and well drained, they are placed in a baking dish, covered with the tomato sauce, the mozzarella cheese into small pieces, the grated Parmesan and the basil fresh, and then put in the oven at 180 °C for about half an hour: the result will be a delicious and gooey dish, with a delicious crispy crust, to be enjoyed immediately, fresh from the oven, or eaten a few hours later after a period of standing at room temperature.

Excellent to propose also as single dishAlong with toasted bread, the aubergine Parmigiana can be cooked in small monoportioned cocottes and brought to the table at the beginning of lunch in mid-August, for a homemade aperitif or for a buffet partying

Like all typical preparations, this one is not exempt from “little big ones”. variations on the theme: there are those who omit the sauce, those who enrich the Parmigiana with meatballs and chopped caciocavallo, those who add, as in the Sicilian version, hard-boiled eggs and chopped ham, etc. Before frying them, we coat the aubergine slices with a little flour but, if you wish, for a richer flavor, you can also dip them in beaten egg, or you can simply dip them naturally in very hot seed oil.

Who is attentive to the line, for one light variant, you can proceed to double cooking in the oven (before and after the filling) or you can roast the aubergines for a few minutes on a hot plate. The important thing, for optimal success, will be to choose eggplants that are plump and firm to the touch, preferably long Neapolitans of viola where

Discover how to prepare aubergine parmigiana following the step-by-step procedure and tips. If you liked this recipe, also try the zucchini parmigiana or the pepper parmigiana, or try other dishes with aubergines.

How to prepare Eggplant Parmigiana

Wash the aubergines, peel them and cut them lengthwise into slices about 4-5 mm thick. 1.

Place the aubergines in a colander, sprinkle with a pinch of salt 2 and let them drain for half an hour: this way they will lose their characteristic bitter aftertaste.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat the oil with a clove of garlic in a non-stick pan, pour in the tomato puree, perfume with a few basil leaves and season with salt 3; then continue cooking until the sauce is well reduced.

After the resting time, rinse the aubergines under cold running water and gently pat them dry with a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper. 4.

Flour the aubergine slices on both sides 5.

Fry them in hot seed oil. 6 until golden brown, remove the aubergines and let them drain on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper.

Pour a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and make a first layer of aubergines. 7.

Add more tomato sauce 8.

cover with mozzarella 9squeezed and sliced.

Sprinkle abundantly with grated Parmesan cheese and perfume with a little chopped basil 10; then continue building the layers until you run out of ingredients.

Complete with slices of mozzarella, grated Parmesan and basil elevenand put the Parmigiana in the oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

Once ready, take the eggplant parmigiana out of the oven. 12 and let rest for a few minutes.

Cut eggplant parmigiana 13 and divide it into portions.

Scoop up each portion with a spatula. 14 and arrange it on individual plates.

Top as desired with more grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. fifteen.

Take the eggplant parmigiana to the table and enjoy it sixteen.

storage

Eggplant Parmigiana can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2 days maximum. Alternatively, after cooking it, you can divide it into small individual portions and keep it in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.