I don’t care if Parmigiana was born in Sicily, Naples, or Parma. Like all traditional dishes, it has undergone alterations and modifications over the centuries. Especially since a written recipe was recorded only at the end of 1839 by Ippolito Cavalcanti, a well-known Neapolitan cook—a recipe which, however, did not include the use of Parmesan.
What I know is that the family loves it, especially when it’s super crunchy.
Awesome!!!

Classic Eggplant Parmesan: Parmigiana di melanzane

  • Preparation time: 120 minutes
  • Ingredients for 6-8 servings
  • Difficulty: Difficult recipe

  • Ingredients
  • 4 large eggplants
  • 1 large mozzarella cheese
  • 1 lb. (450 grams) of peeled tomatoes
  • 7 oz (200 grams) grated parmesan
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Basil to taste
  • Peanut oil for frying to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt to taste
  1. Instructions
  2. Prepare the eggplants. Wash them well and slice them lengthwise, to about 4 mm thick.
  3. Put the slices in a colander with coarse salt and add a weight on top for about an hour.
  4. Prepare the tomato sauce. Pass the peeled tomatoes through a vegetable mill. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan with a whole clove of garlic, pour in the tomato puree, add a sprig of basil, and cook for about fifteen minutes, until the water present in the pulp is notably reduced. Season with salt.
  5. Cut the mozzarella cheese into cubes, then put it in a colander to let the whey run off.
  6. Quickly rinse the eggplants slices under running water, then spread them out on a tea towel to dry.
  7. Put plenty of seed oil in a pan. Let the temperature reach 170°, then fry a few slices of eggplant at a time. As soon as they are golden on both sides, drain them and put them on absorbent paper.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  9. In a large casserole dish, put a ladleful of gravy on the bottom. Place a layer of fried eggplants slices on top, then add a few cubes of cheese, a few basil leaves, and plenty of grated Parmesan. Put some tomato sauce on top and continue like this for another three or four layers.
  10. Bake in the oven for about forty minutes, placing the grill on top for the last ten minutes and on the bottom for the last five so as to have a nice crust.
  11. Remove the Parmigiana from the oven and let it cool for at least ten minutes before portioning and serving it.

Tips to ensure the success of the dish:

  • The salting of the eggplant cannot be avoided, as it serves to make them less permeable to the frying oil.
  • A few slices of eggplant should be placed in the frying pan at a time to prevent the oil temperature dropping. However, it is always advisable to use a frying thermometer.
  • Don’t add too much tomato sauce; the parmigiana must be dry enough and not float in the sauce. I, on the other hand, like it very juicy—which you can see from the photo!

 Mamma with Silvana and Rosella in Paris