Parmigiana di Melanzane

Method7 steps · about 1 hr 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Slice the eggplant (About 700 g) thinly, about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Put it in a colander over a bowl or sink, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for 1 hour to draw out excess moisture.

   Drain salted eggplant · 60 minUses About 700 g eggplant (2 large aubergines) · Salt to lightly sprinkle the eggplant

2. 2

   Step 2: Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and sauté it in the half tablespoon olive oil until translucent and soft, without browning. Add all 700 g passata, the basil (1 small bunch) torn by hand, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, then set the finished sauce aside.

   Simmer basil tomato sauce · 15 minUses 1 white onion · 1/2 tablespoon olive oil · 700 g passata (chunky or smooth sieved tomatoes) · 1 small bunch fresh basil · A pinch of salt for the sauce · A pinch of pepper for the sauce

3. 3

   Step 3: After the full hour of salting, rinse the eggplant slices under cold water and pat thoroughly dry. Heat the sunflower oil (About 125 ml) in a frying pan. Working in batches, lightly dust the slices with flour, shake off the excess and fry immediately on both sides until softened and lightly golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Do not dust the next batch long before frying it.

   Uses Salted eggplant slices · Cold water for rinsing the salted eggplant, as needed · All-purpose flour for lightly dusting eggplant, as needed · About 125 ml sunflower oil for frying

4. 4

   Step 4: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Use an approximately 11×8 inch oval dish or a 10×8 inch rectangular baking dish. Pat the mozzarella (250 g) dry if needed and cut it into cubes; grate the Parmigiano if not already grated.

   Uses 250 g mozzarella · 70 g Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

5. 5

   Step 5: Reserve one third of the prepared tomato sauce for the final topping. Spread a small amount of the remaining sauce over the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking.

   Uses A small amount of prepared tomato sauce for the base; keep one third of the full sauce batch for the top

6. 6

   Step 6: Layer the fried eggplant in the sauced dish. Between the lower eggplant layers, add some grated Parmigiano, mozzarella cubes, a little pepper and a couple of spoonfuls of the remaining lower-layer tomato sauce. Use all the fried eggplant, leaving the final eggplant layer uncovered for the next step. Keep the reserved one third of sauce and some cheese for that top layer.

   Uses Dish with a thin tomato-sauce base · Fried drained eggplant slices · Some grated Parmigiano for the lower layers · Some mozzarella cubes for the lower layers · Portion of prepared sauce remaining after the base, excluding the reserved top third · Pepper for the lower layers

7. 7

   Step 7: Spread the reserved one third of tomato sauce over the final eggplant layer and top with the remaining Parmigiano and mozzarella. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, restarting the timer, until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

   Bake covered, then uncover · 20 minUses Layered eggplant parmigiana · Reserved one third of the full prepared tomato sauce · Remaining grated Parmigiano for the top · Remaining mozzarella cubes for the top