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Parmigiana di Melanzane

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Parmigiana di Melanzane

Traditional Neapolitan eggplant parmigiana made with fried eggplants, tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and Parmigiano cheese
PortataOne-Pot Meal, side dish
Cucinanapoletana
Keywordparmigiana di melanzane, eggplant parmigiana, Neapolitan recipes, Italian eggplant bake, traditional Italian food

Ingredienti

  • 1.5 kg eggplants
  • 250 g fiordilatte or dry mozzarella for pizza
  • 1.5 kg fresh or canned peeled tomatoes
  • 150 g Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1 clove garlic
  • fresh basil leaves
  • oil for frying
  • salt

Istruzioni

  • Peel the eggplants and slice them lengthwise into medium-thick slices.
    Place the slices in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, cover with a plate, and place a weight on top.
    Let them rest for a few hours so they lose their bitterness.
    Rinse the eggplants, squeeze them gently, and fry them a few at a time over high heat in plenty of frying oil.
    When the slices are tender and golden on both sides, lift them out, drain well on absorbig paper, and place them on a plate.
    Prepare the tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes or peeled tomatoes, one garlic clove, basil, and salt. Do not use oil.
    Remove the garlic and let the sauce reduce.
    Spread a few spoonfuls of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
    Add a layer of eggplants, then season with slices of fiordilatte, 2–3 spoonfuls of tomato sauce, grated Parmigiano, and chopped basil.
    Continue layering eggplants and seasoning until all the ingredients are used.
    Bake at moderate heat until a light crust forms on top.
    Let the parmigiana rest before serving.
    It should be eaten cold or barely warm, so the flavors have time to blend.

Note

Parmigiana di melanzane is best served cold or just slightly warm.
Resting time is essential: the dish becomes more compact and the flavors meld together beautifully.
Avoid fresh mozzarella, which contains too much moisture for a proper parmigiana.

Use fiordilatte or a firm, well-drained mozzarella intended for baking.
In Naples there’s a popular saying: fresh mozzarella “cries” in the oven.
That’s why traditional parmigiana uses fiordilatte or well-drained mozzarella.

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