The eggplant pie is the lighter and baked version of the classic eggplant parmesan. Calling it “baked eggplant parmesan” seemed almost like heresy to me, because we all know the true parmesan is unique and only, and it is the fried one (I like it so much that I even made the artichoke parmesan for the winter season).
This eggplant pie, however, can be a valid, light, and tasty alternative for those who cannot or do not want to eat fried food, for those who do not have time to fry the eggplants, for those following a controlled diet, or for those who simply want a different second dish or main course.
This “non-fried parmesan” is prepared in much less time compared to the traditional parmesan: the eggplants, after being drained in water and coarse salt, are cooked all together in a baking pan, greatly reducing preparation time. If you prefer, you can also grill the eggplants to prepare this baked eggplant pie, but obviously, it will take more time.
I filled this pie with ham and mozzarella, making it not only an excellent second course but also a tasty main dish if accompanied, for example, by a soft white potato focaccia.
It’s very simple to prepare. If you have little time, you can cook the preparations at different times and then assemble the pie, or you can prepare and cook it in advance and then heat it up at dinner time. I’ll tell you more: if you cook it in advance, it will be even tastier and more flavorful because you’ll give the eggplants time to absorb all the flavors of the other ingredients. If you like baked eggplants, I recommend also trying my eggplant cutlets without eggs and my eggplant cordon bleu.
Well, now let’s move on to the recipe and see together how to prepare the eggplant pie parmesan style, but first I’ll leave you with some links to recipes that might interest you.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 289.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 16.14 (g) of which sugars 5.38 (g)
- Proteins 15.18 (g)
- Fat 19.62 (g) of which saturated 8.42 (g)of which unsaturated 4.41 (g)
- Fibers 5.23 (g)
- Sodium 2,010.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 162 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients to prepare the eggplant pie
- 2.2 lbs eggplants
- 9 oz mozzarella
- 2.5 oz cheese (pasta filata)
- 3.5 oz cooked ham (sliced)
- 1.75 oz Grana Padano cheese, grated (or pecorino romano for a stronger flavor)
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 lbs tomato passata
- 1 glass water
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- to taste salt
- A few leaves basil
- 1 pinch baking soda
- to taste coarse salt
Tools to prepare the eggplant pie
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Baking dish 10-11 inches
- Baking tray
- Brush silicone
- Saucepan
Steps to prepare the eggplant pie
Let’s see together how to prepare the baked eggplant pie.
Start the preparation by washing and trimming the eggplants. Slice them about a quarter-inch thick and soak them in a bowl of water with a handful of coarse salt for about an hour: this way, they will lose some of their bitter taste.
After the resting time, drain the eggplants, pat them well with a dry cloth, and arrange them on a baking sheet. Lightly brush them with a little oil and bake them at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes.Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Proceed with the preparation of the tomato sauce.
In a saucepan, sauté the chopped onion in a bit of extra virgin olive oil. When it is golden, add the tomato passata, a generous glass of water, a chopped carrot, a stalk of celery, and a few basil leaves. Cook over moderate heat for about 40 minutes. At the end, adjust the salt and, with the heat off, add a few more basil leaves: it will make the sauce even more fragrant.
If the sauce is a bit tart, you can add a pinch of baking soda.
The sauce, moreover, should not be very thick, so if necessary, add a little water at the end of cooking.
Now proceed to assemble your eggplant pie.
Take a baking dish, put a couple of ladles of sauce on the bottom of the dish, make a first layer of eggplant slices, top with pieces of cooked ham, mozzarella, and pasta filata cheese cubes, sprinkle with grated cheese, and finish the topping with a bit of tomato sauce.
Proceed with the second and third layers of eggplants, alternating with the topping. Finish with a fourth and final layer, place grated cheese, and cover the surface with plenty of tomato sauce.
Bake the pie at 400°F for about 25-30 minutes, until the surface is gratinated.
Storage, variations, tips
– Once ready, the eggplant pie should be stored in the refrigerator in a closed container and consumed within 2-3 days.
– For your convenience, you can also prepare it in single-portion containers and freeze them after cooking and cooling: you just need to thaw them in the oven, and dinner will be ready in no time!
– This dish can and indeed should be prepared a few hours in advance: with resting, the liquids are better absorbed by the eggplants, which become even more flavorful, and the pie will also be easier to portion.
– The eggplants can also be grilled in addition to being baked. In this case, I suggest brushing them with a little oil… or, if you want, you can also fry them, but in this case, it will no longer be a light eggplant pie! 🙂
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
If I don’t have a baking dish, can I use another tray?
Yes, any round tray about 10 inches in diameter is fine, but you can also use ceramic or terracotta trays or other trays about 10-11 inches long.
What variety of eggplants should be used for this recipe?
Any variety of eggplant is fine.
What types of cheese to use for preparing the eggplant pie?
You can use mozzarella or scamorza, a pasta filata cheese, or any other semi-aged cheese, and for the grated cheese, you can use Grana Padano or Parmigiano, or for a stronger taste, you can use grated pecorino romano.
Can this eggplant pie be prepared in a vegetarian version?
Yes, just omit the ham and proceed as per the recipe. If you want to further enrich the recipe, you can alternate the layers with slices of eggplant and thin slices of potatoes, previously blanched for a few minutes. This way it will become a delicious eggplant and potato pie!
