Serves 4–6. One large baking dish to bring to the table. Eggplant parmigiana is one of those dishes that tastes even better when given time to settle.
Ingredients
- 1 kg eggplant
- 700 g tomato purée
- 250 g well-drained mozzarella
- 80 g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 clove of garlic
- Fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Oil for frying, if choosing the fried version
- Salt
Method
- Cut the eggplant into slices about half a centimeter thick and pat them dry.
- For the classic version, fry the slices in hot oil and drain them well. Alternatively, arrange them on a baking tray, brush them with a little oil and bake at 200°C until golden.
- Heat the garlic and a little oil in a saucepan, add the tomato purée and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with basil.
- Cut the mozzarella and let it drain well to reduce the amount of water in the baking dish.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in a casserole dish, then alternate layers of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmigiano.
- Finish with sauce and Parmigiano and bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for about 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is piping hot.
- Let it rest for at least 15–20 minutes before cutting and serving.
How to avoid watery eggplant parmigiana?
Simmer the tomato sauce until well thickened, drain the mozzarella and let the baking dish rest before serving.
Fried or baked eggplant?
Both methods work; the fried version is richer, while the baked version is lighter. Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness.
Eggplant is also the star of pasta alla Norma.