Eggplant Parmigiana is a classic summer dish, best made with eggplants from your own garden. It is a kind of casserole of fried eggplants, not exactly light but very satisfying to the palate. Eggplant Parmigiana has many versions depending on the region and family recipe, and from what I’ve read on various social channels, everyone considers their recipe the original one. So, be prepared, as some people will have differing opinions. Some don’t add basil to the parmigiana, some don’t use mozzarella, others say it’s a disaster if there’s too little mozzarella, some fry the eggplants plain, some flour them, some dip them in egg and then flour them, some use pecorino cheese while others forbid it, in short, there’s plenty of fun to be had. If you’re looking for a lighter version without frying, check out the EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA IN A PAN. I also recommend trying the ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA, which is also very good and perfect for summer. Fried eggplant parmigiana can be eaten either hot straight from the oven or at room temperature. Now let’s see how to make eggplant parmigiana, and if you try it, let me know. Barbara

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Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Inexpensive
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 6
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring, Summer

Ingredients for making Eggplant Parmigiana

2 black oval eggplants
400 g tomato purée
3 mozzarellas
to taste salt
to taste pepper
to taste extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
to taste grated Parmesan cheese
to taste peanut oil (for frying the eggplants)

How to make Eggplant Parmigiana

Let’s start preparing the Eggplant Parmigiana. First, prepare the sauce by adding some extra virgin olive oil and a clove of garlic to a large skillet or pot. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
Then add the tomato purée,
and the basil leaves.
Cover with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes.
Clean the eggplants and slice them,
let them rest for at least half an hour in a colander, layering them with coarse salt.
Rinse them under running water to remove the salt
and pat them dry with a cloth.
Slice the mozzarella and let it rest to remove excess liquid, making the parmigiana firmer without the annoying liquid.
Pour some peanut oil into a pot or deep fryer and heat it up. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant slices, a few at a time, and fry until golden, turning them often.
Remove them once golden and let them dry on paper towels.
Now that all the ingredients are ready, start preparing the Eggplant Parmigiana. Take a baking dish, and make a layer with the previously fried eggplants.
Pour the tomato purée and spread it over the eggplants,
add the torn basil leaves,
some slices of mozzarella
and grated cheese.
Continue this way, layering eggplants, tomato purée, basil, mozzarella, and cheese until the parmigiana is complete.
The last layer should have tomato, mozzarella slices, basil, and plenty of grated cheese.
Bake the eggplant parmigiana in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 25/30 minutes. When ready, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.