Parmigiana di Melanzane
Fried eggplant layered with tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano, baked until the top browns and the layers set. Southern Italian comfort at its densest.
- prep
- 45 min
- cook
- 45 min
- total
- 1 h 30 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- hard
Parmigiana di melanzane layers fried eggplant with tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano the way lasagne layers pasta, baking until everything sets into slices that hold their shape. It is a southern Italian staple, argued over between Naples, Sicily and Calabria, and it tastes better the day after it is made.
Salting and draining the eggplant beforehand, then frying it properly golden, is what keeps the final bake from turning watery.
Parmigiana di Melanzane is one of the twenty most famous Italian foods.
method
Salt the eggplant slices on both sides and let them drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat completely dry.
Warm the olive oil, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and simmer 20 minutes with half the basil. Season.
Fry the eggplant slices in batches in hot oil until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
Layer in a baking dish: tomato sauce, a layer of eggplant, mozzarella slices and Parmigiano, repeating until everything is used, finishing with sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano on top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and browned on top.
Rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting; it holds together much better once it has settled.
chef's tips
- Rest it properly before cutting, or it collapses into a wonderful-tasting mess instead of clean layers.
- It is even better the next day, reheated; make it a day ahead if you can.
- Grilling the eggplant instead of frying is a lighter, perfectly acceptable variation.