The Sicilian-style breaded fried eggplant cutlets, golden and crispy, are a great vegetarian main course and a delightful side dish; they are also perfect as an appetizer and are part of the wide repertoire of Sicilian cuisine and grandma’s recipes and the many ways to make cutlets with tasty recipes.

I don’t know about you, but those of us from the south have an enormous passion for frying; breading and frying are almost written in our DNA — and as everyone says, fried is always better!

My husband, for example, loves the classic meat cutlets, but he goes crazy for the breaded eggplant cutlets, golden and crispy that my mother makes, the ones with a crumb coating that doesn’t fall off and rich in cheese. When my mom makes the Sicilian-style eggplant cutlets she likes to add grated pecorino or caciocavallo to the breadcrumbs, and she also adds finely chopped parsley and a pinch of garlic. After breading the eggplant slices she fries them in plenty of sunflower seed oil until they are a beautiful golden color. I must be honest, my mother is a frying wizard and could make even a shoe sole tasty, so imagine how spectacular her fried eggplant cutlets are!

Let’s go to the kitchen: I’ll tell you how to make really special fried eggplant cutlets. If you don’t like frying you can also try the baked versions: baked eggplant cutlets stuffed with ham and cheese or baked eggplant cutlets with a special filling.

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very inexpensive
Rest time: 30 Minutes
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Frying
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring, Summer

Ingredients

1 eggplant (large, purple or black)
2 cups breadcrumbs
as needed all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated cheese (such as Parmigiano, pecorino or Sicilian caciocavallo)
as needed salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 pinch garlic (fresh or powdered)
as needed sunflower oil (or peanut oil, for frying)

Tools

1 Bowl
1 Plate flat
1 Pan

Steps

For breaded eggplant cutlets I prefer to use peeled eggplants so that each slice has a uniform texture. Although many prefer Tunisian eggplants (the purple ones) because they are more delicate, I use either purple or black varieties interchangeably.
Rinse the eggplant, remove the ends and peel it. Cut it into round slices about 3/8 inch thick, lightly salt both sides and arrange them on a plate. Let them rest for half an hour; this will soften them, remove the slight bitter aftertaste and let out some of their vegetable water.
Prepare a breading by mixing the breadcrumbs with almost all of the grated cheese — you can use Parmigiano or, for a stronger flavor, pecorino or caciocavallo. In any case, better if aged. Mix and add the very finely chopped parsley and a pinch of garlic; combine until you have a uniform mixture.
Take the eggplant slices and, using paper towels, pat them very, very dry to remove any remaining water and salt.
Beat the eggs with the rest of the grated cheese and pass the slices first in the flour,
then in the egg, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Press with your hands so the coating adheres well.
Heat a pan with sunflower oil (or peanut oil if you prefer) and dip the tip of a toothpick into the oil: if it sizzles you can start frying the cutlets. Immerse them in the hot oil and cook them on both sides, adjusting the heat so you can extend the cooking for about 7 minutes.
Remove the nicely browned slices and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil; pat them on both sides and transfer to a serving plate.
The eggplant cutlets are ready. They are very good eaten while still hot and crispy, and are also excellent at room temperature.
They keep in the fridge for a couple of days if well sealed in an airtight container and should then be eaten at room temperature. In any case they are always best if consumed the same day.