How to make Eggplant Parmesan the Italian Parmigiana di Melanzane dish?
What is Parmigiana di Melanzane, Eggplant Parmesan?
Eggplant Parmesan, Parmigiana di Melanzane in Italian, is a traditional dish of Italian origins; It is made with slices of fried eggplant layered with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. it is, moreover, known in Emilia Romagna, Campania, and Sicily with some variations of ingredients and methods of composition but the taste is always amazing.
However, we wondered why it is called eggplant parmesan " Parmigiana di Melanzane"? The answer is too simple, the name comes from the two Italian words “Parmigiano” (parmesan cheese) and “Melanzana” (eggplant). This dish with a few ingredients: tomato, eggplant, basil, and cheese, presents a delicious meal that can be presented as a side dish to grilled meat, chicken, or fish.
In this blog, we will make together Eggplant Parmesan, so we will first present the ingredients and then show the procedures to follow in order to prepare it. Get ready and good luck!
- Preparation: 40 min
- Cooking: 100 min
- Doses for: 8 people
- Origin: Italian
The Eggplant Parmesan Recipe:
This delicious dish is not difficult as it seems and doesn`t have a lot of ingredients or complicated instructions.
The ingredients for the Parmesan Recipe:
- 1.5 kg eggplants
- 1 kg Tomato puree
- 1 big Onion or 2 mediums
- 500 g mozzarella cheese
- 150 g grated Parmesan cheese
- Basil to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Vegetable oil for the sauce
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil to taste.
The instruction to prepare the Eggplant Parmesan:
In a pan heat a small amount of oil, add the chopped onion, and let it brown for a couple of minutes, stirring often to prevent it from burning.
Then add the tomato puree, season with salt, add in the basil leaves and cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the mozzarella cheese into cubes, keeping aside a piece that will be used at the end. Drain the cubes in a colander placed in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside: this procedure is used to drain the excess whey.
Clean the eggplant and trim them; slice lengthwise to obtain 4-5 mm thick slices.
Fry the eggplant in pre-heated oil, dipping a few pieces at a time, as soon as they are lightly browned, drain on a tray with absorbent paper.
Take a 20x30 cm baking dish pour a little sauce into it and begin to form the first layer by arranging the slices of aubergines, pouring the tomato sauce, spreading it, and distribute some of the mozzarella cubes, and sprinkling with grated Parmesan and basil leaves.
Start again by adding the tomato sauce and aubergines, then again the cheeses and basil leaves. Go on like this until you get to the last layer of aubergines and that you are going to season, once again, with the sauce and the mozzarella that you have kept aside, to be chopped by hand.
Finish with the grated Parmesan and bake in the oven, already preheated at 200°C, for about 35 minutes. After the cooking time, let your eggplant parmesan rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Serving
. The eggplant parmesan, parmigiana di melanzane, is served warm as a side dish to grilled meat, chicken, or fish.
Storage:
. You can keep the eggplant parmesan in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days covered with cling film.
. You can also freeze your eggplant parmesan after cooking and defrosted it in the refrigerator if necessary before heating it.
Tips!
. For this recipe the perfect eggplants are large, oval, a nice dark purple and shiny, and should feel firm to the touch - neither too hard nor too soft.
Enjoy your dish and Good Appetite!
😀
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