Eggplant parmesan – Parmigiana di melanzane
Parmigiana di melanzane is a classic of the Neapolitan cuisine. Other Italian regions claim to have the paternity for this dish but they’re only responsible for creating new versions of original. It’s true there are numerous versions of the parmigiana di melanzane and different methods on how to prepare the eggplants and the sauce, not to mention the ingredients to use. I think that every family in Naples has its own version.
Let’s start with the eggplants. In the classic recipe they have to be fried, and here lies the debate, if they have to be floured or not before frying. Purists says they don’t have to be, and this is how I prepare them too, but some recipes not only flour the eggplants they also dip them in beaten eggs before frying. Some people add slices of boiled eggs or slices of non smoked ham. My Neapolitan friends use provola instead of mozzarella because is less liquid. Others use mozzarella but add some lightly beaten eggs to absorb the liquid when cooking, I use this method too. As for the tomato sauce some prefer to buy plain tomato sauce because it’s thick and less liquid. I like to prepare my own with fresh ripe tomatoes, adding a little bit of oil and onions, not everyone adds onions.
This is one version of parmigiana di melanzane
Ingredients:
4 big eggplants, about 3-1/2 pounds
10 oz. Italian mozzarella
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Italian Parmesan
2 medium eggs
6 fresh basil leaves
olive oil for frying
For the tomato sauce:
35 oz. ripe plum tomatoes such as San Marzano or Roma or canned
1/2 small white onion chopped, about 1/2 cup
a good pinch of sea salt
Instructions:
For the tomato sauce:
1. Cut the skin across on the bottom of each tomato. Heat up a pan with water and when hot, though not boiling, add the tomatoes. Leave them for half a minute and then remove them and place them in a bowl filled with cold water.
2. Peel the tomatoes and eliminate the seeds and the excess liquid.
3. In a pan warm up 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and add the chopped onion. Cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook the sauce for about 30 minutes.
4. Pass the sauce through a fine vegetable ricer or use a hand blender.
5. Cook the sauce for 5 more minutes and set aside.
For the parmigiana:
1. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick. Place them in a colander, salt them and leave them for 1 hour. Rinse off the salt and dry them.
2. Heat up olive oil in a frying pan, then add the eggplants and fry them, 2-3 minutes per side.
3. In a baking dish spread few spoons of tomato sauce then layer the eggplants making sure they overlap a little.
4. Sprinkle the Parmesan and cover it with a layer of mozzarella.
5. Drizzle the mozzarella with few spoons of lightly beaten eggs.
6. Repeat this step until you’ve come to the last layer of eggplants.
7. Cover the last layer of eggplants with the tomato sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. You may sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top if you like.
8. Cook in a preheated oven at 400° for about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes:
For a lighter version you can grill the eggplants instead of frying them but you won’t have the same result.
Hello Mrs. Patty, my name is Angela Maria and I live in Michigan. I found your site on AOL while searching for recipes. I love it!! Say egg plant, I’m sicilian and we call it Melangan. I will be in Venice area around October 6th through the 22nd. Just where do you live in Italy. I love to cook and I am happy evrytime I see one of your home recipes. I don’t eat some of the foods that arae native to you, but I try many of your wonderful basic Italian recipes. Thanks for all you do. Angela
No, not necessary to salt the eggplant! Nowadays the eggplant is meatier, with less seeds, and sweeter, so no salting is necessary. I do remember that when coming home from schoo and found the eggplant ‘sweating’ on the kitchen table. My Mom doesn’t do that anymore, trust me, she is not the type to change her ways and has found that this is an unnecessary step.Eggplants today don’t need it. You will also lose vital nutrients as well as flavor when “salting” the eggplant. Another thing, Eggplant Parmigiana needs to be layered with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. How could you not layer Eggplant Parmesan without the parmesan cheese ???
Eggplant, sauce, parmesan, mozzarella. Repeat. Repeat. Top layer should end with mozzarella, bake, and enjoy. Leftovers are even better.
@Angela, Thank you for trying some of my recipes. I hope you have a great time in Venice. I live close by in Verona.
@Louise: I don’t know what kind of eggplants you have but believe me eggplants need to be salted here in Italy otherwise they keep their bitter juices. For the Parmesan cheese actually I add it with every layer as noted above in the recipe. I’ve never seen Parmigiana topped with mozzarella, but rather with tomato sauce and if preferred sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. That just goes to underline what I said in the introduction, everyone has their own version of this recipe. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Hi Patty, my apologies, I notice now that the parmesan is indeed included in your layers. I will try your recipe, but without salting the eggplant (really, I wish I could send one over to you to try it). Your recipe differs with the addition of the egg brushed over the mozzarella. Something different and looking forward to a change. Now my 82 year old mother tells me to bake the eggplant with extra-virgin olive oil. No breading. She layers the eggplant and puts breadcrumbs over them (thin sprinkling of bread crumbs), then the usual sauce, parmesan and mozzarella. The last time she gave me a casserole to take back home I found it so delicious. Now I’m going to make your version of the eggplant parmigiana when my parents comes over for a visit. Thanks so much for your response, I appreciate your opinion and I enjoy your emails (thanks to my father Luigi who forwarded some of your recipes to me). All the best, Louise (Luisa).
Angela, thanks for the recipe. I miss my brother-in-law and his eggplant parm. I’m going to make this tonight and would like to know where to put the basil. In the sauce as it cooks? thanks
Hi Patty: I cooked this last night and it was good. Today it’s great. I’ve never made sauce from scratch before and was worried but I liked it. I didn’t use the basil, but did use fresh Roma tomatoes and my sauce was kinda pink yesterday but more red today in the finished product. Thanks for a great recipe.
@Karen: I’m glad you liked the parmigiana, and yes it’s true the day after it’s always better. About the basil I added it in the sauce when almost done and forgot to write it in the recipe ;-). Thanks for letting me know.
I have entered your blog into my favorites I do the more Sicilian type of cooking. There many of the dishes I do like you have presented. Some I do with variations However you have listed a volume of dishes I am anxious to try.
I am a firm believer you must alway have freash basil . I grow it in my garden, put bunches in little plastic envelopes with some virgin olive and feeze to have year round. I am so glad to have found you. Keep on Cooking.
@Joe Welcome on cooking with patty, let me know how my recipes come out for you. About the basil, I completely agree with you, fresh herbs make all the difference in the kitchen.
Patty,
I live in the Hill Area of St. Louis. Predominately of Italians. My friend a retired guard of the Arch grounds just brought me over eggplants,red. and green peppers from his garden. Tomorrow I will cook the eggplant as per your recipi. Anxious for the results. The way I cook eggplant is a little more complicated.
Love your website,
Joe Cafazza
@Joe, How do you cook your eggplants? Let me know how it comes out.
I get the eggplant ready same as you, only I don’t cut it lengthwise I cut across, slices about 3/8″ wide. I dip the eggplant into an egg , whisked with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then coated on both sides with Italian bread crumbs to which I have added fine grated parmesan. I lightly fry both sides. I layer an oven pan with my own sauce, add the eggplant on top add more sauce on top. Put in oven to finish cooking. Remove from oven and top each slice with either mozzarelli or provolon. Put back in oven with heat turned off just long enough for cheese to melt.
Kind of worder huh ?, not use to writing recipis
Ciao Patty!! Your recipe is exactly like my mamma makes it! She knows it’s one of my FAVOURITE dishes so often makes it when she knows I’m going over :) It’s SSSOOOO delicious with fresh crusty vienna bread…or mixed with her Bracciolli di Risso (Arranccini ?)…smashed together on the plate.
As for the eggplants – we salt them before using them here in Australia as well. It makes a big difference to the flavour. The thing I love about this dish is how SWEET it tastes. MMMMmmmm. LOVE eggplant!
PS Are you sure it orginates from Naples??? I thought my CALABRIAN mum invented it hahahaha
[how is your hunt for maple syrup going????]
@Louise I’m so sorry your comment was blocked in the spam folder all this time. I just discovered it a few minutes ago. :(
I do indeed wish I could try some of those eggplants you wrote about!
I do hope the recipe came out for you and sorry again.
Best regards,
Patty
Ciao Patty,
Whenever I make eggplant parm seems after baking there is a lot of
liquid in the bottom of the pan??? I flour, egg wash, Italian bread crumbs and fry on both sides. I place on paper as I fry the remainder. Then make layers with sauce and cheese.
I hope someday I can come and enjoy one of your cooking classes.
Grazzie