Ingredients
For Home-made tomato sauce
2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (about 6 tomatoes), diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, shopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
For Eggplants
2 large eggplants
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 cup flour (for coating eggplants)
1 teaspoon salt (for the flour)
1/8 teaspoon pepper (for the flour)
3 tablespoons olive oil (for frying eggplant slices)
For layering in casserole
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup home-made (or "plain") breadcrumbs
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese [about a cup], cut into very thin slices
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
For decoration
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
To make tomato sauce
1. Fry garlic till golden in olive oil.
2. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and mix well.
3. Simmer about 10 minutes.
To prepare the eggplants
1. Cut the tops and ends off the eggplants (discard).
2. Slice the eggplants crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
3. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and the place them on a wooden board (or on large plates).
4. Let the eggplants stand for about 15 minutes (The eggplants will "sweat out water").
5. Place the eggplant slices in a strainer, and rinse out the water (This is done to remove the bitterness from the vegetables).
6. Pat the eggplant slices dry with absorbent paper.
7. Mix the flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
8. Dredge the eggplants in flour.
9. Fry the eggplants in hot oil until they are soft and golden (about 3 minutes on each side).
10. Remove from frying pan and place the slices on absorbent kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil.
11. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
12. In a bowl mix Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, chopped garlic and oregano. Add a touch of salt and pepper.
13. Place about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce at the bottom of the casserole.
14. Arrange slices of fried eggplants on the tomato sauce.
15. Pour some tomato sauce on them.
16. Sprinkle some of the mixture of Parmesan cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs.
17. Add some of the sliced mozzarella.
18. Top the mixture with another set of eggplant slices and seasoned breadcrumbs, cheese etc.
19. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used.
19. Top the last layer with shredded Mozzarella cheese (No red sauce on it).
20. Cover the casserole dish.
21. Bake in a 350 F degrees oven for about 20 minutes and then remove the cover.
22. Turn on the broiler, and broil the casserole dish uncovered for about 3 minutes or until the top layer of mozzarella turns golden (optional).
23. Remove from oven and cut into squares and place in individual bowls.
24. Decorate the bowls with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Notes
There are dozens of ways of preparing melanzana alla parmigiana. Obviously, some variations are vegetarian, and others include meat [For the versions of melanzana alla parmigiana that use meat, see "Traditional Meat Dishes"]. Some cooks fry the eggplant slices and others broil or bake them (Broiling or baking does reduce the amount of oil needed and this in my opinion, improves the flavor of the dish!). However, prior to World War II, the eggplant slices were generally fried and coated with flour (rather than being coated with breadcrumbs as they sometimes are in North America). Actually, if I am to believe my mother (And she may be wrong!) "melanzana alla parmigiana" was not a popular dish in Molise -- at least not among the poor. Neither her mother nor her mother-in-law ever did it, though possibly the well-to-do did it (My mother's not sure). Supposedly, the dish originated in Sicily or in Naples, Campania (Sicilians will say it is a Sicilian dish, and those from Campania will swear it was first made in Naples, though Wikipedia sides with the Sicilians!). So, prior to World War II, those living in Molise, would in all probability not have prepared "melanzane alla parmigiana." Nowadays, of course, the whole country (Why the whole world!) is doing it. Most Italians (Unless they're vegetarians) use ground veal in the dish [See Melanzana alla Parmigiana, Version I). So it is a rather "rich" dish. It's a labor-intensive one as well. Lots of different things to do, and so if it's a hot day and there's no air-conditioning, best not to do it. This is a winter meal. Photo: Mary Melfi. |
