Eggplants Parmigiana

Parmigiana di Melanzane

One of the most famous dish of the Italian cuisine! Known in all the world, Eggplants Parmigiana is one of the most delicious vegetarian dish of our cuisine.  Some foreigners think that there is a secret ingredient in this dish because it’s not easy to believe that it is made with cheap and poor ingredients like tomatoes, eggplants, eggs and cheese. It is said  that Eggplants Parmigiana originates in Naples but today it can be found on the menus of the Italian restaurants in all the world. The following is the authentic recipe, the one that, in the past, my grandmother used to make, and my mother and I make today also.  You can prepare it the day before; the next day is even better.

Preparation time: about  30-40 minutes
Cooking time: about  1 ½ hour total

Serves  4-5

Ingredients

for the tomato sauce:
6 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and  finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately  14 oz each (400g each), mashed with a fork
1 cup (250ml) water
1 ½ tsp. salt

for the eggplants:
vegetable oil (enough to fry)
about 3-4 eggs
about 10 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
about 1 cup (250ml) all purpose flour
4-5 eggplants (about 1 ½ lb. or 680g), thinly sliced lengthwise
about ½ lb. (220g) mozzarella cheese, finely chopped
a few basil leaves

Method:

1.        Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and the onion and sauté. Add the tomatoes, water and salt; stir well and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Don’t worry if the sauce is a little watery; that is how it is meant to be.
2.        Meanwhile heat the vegetable oil, and prepare the eggplants: Whisk the eggs with 4 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese. Put the flour in a bowl. Coat each eggplant slice with the flour, then dip into the eggs mixture and fry until golden brown. Drain the eggplant slices on paper towels and set aside.
3.        Preheat oven at 395° F (200° C).
4.        Build the Parmigiana layers: On the bottom of a baking pan (about 9 x 13 inches or 22.8 x 33 cm), spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce. Lay a flat layer of eggplants over the sauce. Spread  half of the chopped mozzarella over the eggplants, spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the mozzarella, and then sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese on top.
5.        Cover with a second layer of eggplant slices. Spread  the remaining chopped mozzarella over the eggplants, spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the mozzarella, and then sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese on top.
6.        Cover with the last layer of eggplants, spread the remaining tomato sauce over them, and sprinkle the basil and the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
7.        Bake  for 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes:

·         You can use mild white cheddar cheese  in place of the mozzarella cheese.