The eggplant parmigiana, that throughout Italy is called only parmigiana, is one of the most traditional dishes of Italy, also cooked other areas of the Mediterranean, while using different recipes. Generally, every region has small variations. In Rome, for example, a basic recipe is used, simple and light enough. In Naples, instead, a more loaded recipe is used, with egg, mortadella and other ingredients, with breaded aubergines.
Parmigiana is a sort of stewed fried vegetables layered with cheese and tomato sauce. In fact, zucchini and other vegetables are also used, clearly using the name of the vegetable along with the name of the parmigiana. There are parmigiana zucchini for example, always using the basic recipe. Its origin seems to be Neapolitan, even if Rome claims for the official recipe.
Officially it seems to have been born in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies of the XVI century. The parmigiana is however a traditionally southern dish, a typical popular recipe. This would also explain the numerous variations.
Sicily has declared it legally a traditional dish, and now it is known throughout the world thanks to the strong emigration of the people of the South.
According to Jeanne Caròla Francesconi, writer of Italian southern cuisine, the recipe dates back to the works of Ippolito Cavalcanti and Vincenzo Corrado, in the seventeenth century, when the tomato began to spread in Italy from America.
The name Parmigiana could derive from the Sicilian term Parmiciana, to indicate the wooden shutters, similar to the layers of the recipe. Or from the seventeenth-century use of calling all dishes in which Parmesan was used as parmigiana.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Passive Time | 5 hours |
| Servings |
people
|
- 600 g eggplant
- 500 g mozzare cheese
- 800 g Tomato sauce
- 200 g Parmesan cheese
- ½ Onion white
- 4 leaves basil fresh
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 200 ml Sunflower oil
Ingredients
|
|
- Take the aubergines, cut the vegetable part and peel them (1). Then cut them into very thin slices (2). Leave them aside in a bowl (3).
- Take a strainer and start to make a layer with the slices of aubergines (4), then sprinkle with salt (5) and continue to make other layers, always alternated with salt. In this way you will expel all the water from the aubergines and the parmigiana will be better. Leave the strainer to drain the water, putting a weight on the aubergines (6), for at least five hours. After this time, squeeze the aubergines with your hands, t have the best Parmigiana.
- Take the onion, peel it (7) and then chop it finely (8). Leave it aside in a saucer (9).
- Pour five tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (10) and let it heat. Then add the chopped onion (11) and fry it before adding the tomato sauce (12).
- Mix well (13), and adjust salt (14). Then cover with a lid (15) and cook for about 1 hour.
- When the aubergines have expelled the water, dry them with a twist. Fill a large pan with sunflower oil (16) and heat well, before adding the aubergines to fry (17) for three minutes. Then turn the aubergines (18) and fry for another three minutes.
- Once the first slices are ready, put them to dry on a kitchen paper (19) placed on a plate and fry the other slices until they are finished. Then take the mozzarella and chop it (20) finely. Leave everything apart (21) in a bowl.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese (22) and start making the layers for the Parmigiana. Make a first layer of aubergine slices (23) in a baking tray, and then cover it with tomato sauce (24).
- Then sprinkle well with the chopped mozzarella (25) and with the grated Parmesan (26). Then start making a layer of aubergine slices (27).
- Once more, cover with tomato sauce (28), mozzarella (29) and grated Parmesan cheese (30). Make more layers until the aubergines are finished.
- When you have finished the layers, bake in preheated oven at 200° C (31) for about 30/40 minutes, until it smell good and the surface of the Parmigiana will be a little golden. Remove from the oven (32) and serve (33) if you want to eat it hot, otherwise let it rest before consuming it.
