Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Frankantipasti, Campania, piatti unici, summer66 Comments

Eggplant Parmesan

Being a lover of good food, I find it almost impossible to answer the question ‘what’s your favorite dish?’ But if I had to, my answer would probably be Eggplant Parmesanparmigiana di melanzane in Italian—the way Angelina used to make it.

This is a simple dish to make, but it involves several steps. Allow yourself a good two hours to prepare this dish. It tastes much better made ahead, so if you have the time, make it in the morning and have it for dinner or, even better, make it at your leisure the day before.

Ingredients

For the eggplant:

  • 3-4 large eggplants
  • 6 eggs
  • 75g (3 oz) grated pecorino romano cheese
  • A few sprigs of fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

For the tomato sauce:

For assembling the parmigiana:

  • 1 large ball of mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh
  • 100g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • A few fresh basil leaves, shredded

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the eggplant.

You begin with eggplant, of course. For this dish, the large, purple variety is preferable. You cut the eggplants into fairly thin slices. Now you should ‘purge’ them of their excess liquid, which can be bitter. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, and then lay them in a colander laid on top of a plate. Cover the slices with a small plate on which you should place something a bit heavy like a can of beans or tomatoes. This will help press the liquid out of the eggplant. Leave them for about an hour.

Parmigiana-5

You should notice a small puddle of brownish water below the colander, which you should discard, of course. Remove the slices from the colander and pat them dry.

Step 2: Fry the eggplant.

Now you dip the eggplant slices in flour, followed by an egg and cheese ‘bath’ made from beaten eggs, grated pecorino cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Shallow fry the eggplant slices over moderate heat until they are golden brown on the outside and tender inside.

Parmigiana-4

You will need to fry the eggplant slices in batches. As each batch is done, drain and set on paper towels to absorb the excess oil as you continue with the next batch. Repeat until you’re done.

Step 3: Prepare the tomato sauce.

While this is going on, prepare a very light tomato sauce by combining chopped tomatoes (fresh if in season, but canned tomatoes are fine), a few leaves of fresh basil, salt, chopped garlic and just a few drops of olive oil. (Some people omit the olive oil altogether since the eggplant, even after draining, can be a bit oily.) Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have melted into a sauce If using canned tomatoes, add a bit of water to loosen the sauce before simmering. You will want a good amount of sauce, so be sure to make a potful–you can always any extra to dress pasta.

Step 4: Prepare the cheeses.

Take a large mozzarella, preferably fresh, and slice it. Grate lots of parmesan cheese, at least a cupful (you can grate it as you assemble the dish).

Parmigiana-3

Step 5: Assemble the dish.

You are now ready to assemble the dish. In a bake-and-serve pan, place a layer of the fried eggplant slices, then a bit of the tomato sauce, then a few mozzarella slices, a bit of shredded basil (optional) and grated parmesan cheese. Season. Then add another layer of eggplant and continue until you’ve used up your ingredients. End with tomato sauce and parmesan. (Don’t put mozzarella on top, it will brown too quickly in the oven and burn.)

Parmigiana-2
Step 6: Baking.

Bake in a hot oven (400 F, 200 C) for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is bubbling hot and the top a bit brown. Don’t worry if it even looks a bit ‘burnt’ around the edges–that’s normal and, to some tastes, the best part! Let the dish cool a bit before eating, at least 15 minutes. In fact, it tastes best made ahead and reheated (just a bit) before eating. It can also be eaten at room temperature. Just don’t eat it piping hot, because you will miss the full, wonderful flavors!

Notes

A friend from Naples once told me that this version of Eggplant Parmesan—made with eggplant slices dipped in egg—is typical of the interior of Campania, the region where Naples is located and of which it is the capital. In fact, that’s where Angelina was from, a small mountain town near Benevento. In Naples proper, this dish is made with eggplant slices that are simply lightly floured and fried.

Most modern recipes you will find follow the Neapolitan method. I’ve tried it that way and it makes for a lighter dish. But I still like Angelina’s version best! For an even lighter dish, you can brush the eggplants with olive oil and grill or oven roast them instead of frying. The result is actually very nice, but you are getting pretty far from the original flavor and texture of the classic dish.

What is not original or authentic is the version you often find here in the US, where the eggplant is breaded. Personally I find it a travesty. If you try the dish this way, you’ll see it produces a far superior result.

They also make this dish in Sicily (in fact, the Sicilians claim the dish is theirs-see below) but without any coating on the eggplant or the mozzarella cheese.

If you are pressed for time, you can skip the initial ‘purging’ of the eggplants. As long as the eggplants are reasonably fresh, it should not make that much difference. I sometimes skip this step myself. But be aware, there is a chance that the dish will have a bitter aftertaste. And if you want an even quicker dish, instead of a tomato sauce, you can use passata di pomodoro or crushed canned tomatoes–it will cook in the oven–a drizzle un filo d’olio over each layer.

Some recipes for Eggplant Parmesan call for baking the dish in a moderately slow oven and for a longer period, from 45 minutes up to an hour, raising the temperature at the very end if necessary to brown the top. The advantage of this method is that you are less likely to burn the top.

This dish can play many roles in an Italian meal. It can serve as an antipasto, as part of a buffet, as a light secondo or as a piatto unico: a single-dish meal in itself. And, to be honest, I even eat it, the morning after I make it, for breakfast!

Origins of ‘La Parmigiana’

By the way, as is typical for a popular dish with many variations, there are a good number of different stories about the origins of this dish. some of them place it in or around Naples, while say the dish originated in Sicily. Despite the name, however, it is very doubtful that this dish comes from Parma. The name may refer to the generous use of parmgiano cheese in most versions of the dish. Some early sources say that the parmigiani were known for making layered vegetable casseroles. The Sicilians say that the name comes from  parmiciana, which the dialect word the slots in window shutters (persiane in proper Italian) since the eggplant slices lined up in the baking dish were said to resemble said shutters.

This interesting article discusses the various claims as to where this dish originates and their relative merits. If you can read Italian, Wikipedia also has an article on the dish. Both place the probable origin of Eggplant Parmesan to Campania and to the 18th century chef and writer Vincenzo Corrado.

Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Ingredients

    For the eggplant:
  • 3-4 large eggplants
  • 6 eggs
  • 75g (3 oz) grated pecorino romano cheese
  • A few sprigs of fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • For the tomato sauce:
  • 1 large can of tomatoes, preferably imported San Marzano
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed and peeled
  • Olive oil
  • A basil leaf or two
  • Salt
  • For assembling the parmigiana:
  • 1 large ball of mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh
  • 100g of grated Parmesan cheese
  • A few fresh basil leaves, shredded

Directions

  1. Prepare the eggplant. Cut the eggplants into fairly thin slices. Now you should 'purge' them of their excess liquid, which can be bitter. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, and then lay them in a colander laid on top of a plate. Cover the slices with a small plate on which you should place something a bit heavy like a can of beans or tomatoes. This will help press the liquid out of the eggplant. Leave them for about an hour. You should notice a small puddle of brownish water below the colander, which you should discard, of course. Remove the slices from the colander and pat them dry.
  2. Fry the eggplant. Dip the eggplant slices in flour, followed by an egg and cheese 'bath' made from beaten eggs, grated pecorino cheese, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Shallow fry the eggplant slices over moderate heat until they are golden brown on the outside and tender inside.
  3. You will need to fry the eggplant slices in batches. As each batch is done, drain and set on paper towels to absorb the excess oil as you continue with the next batch. Repeat until you're done.
  4. Prepare the tomato sauce. In the meanwhile, prepare a very light tomato sauce by combining chopped tomatoes (fresh if in season, but canned tomatoes are fine), a few leaves of fresh basil, salt, chopped garlic and just a few drops of olive oil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have melted into a sauce If using canned tomatoes, add a bit of water to loosen the sauce before simmering.
  5. Prepare the cheeses. Take a large mozzarella, preferably fresh, and slice it. Grate lots of parmesan cheese, at least a cupful (you can grate it as you assemble the dish).
  6. Assemble the dish. You are now ready to assemble the dish. In a bake-and-serve pan, place a layer of the fried eggplant slices, then a bit of the tomato sauce, then a few mozzarella slices, a bit of shredded basil (optional) and grated parmesan cheese. Season. Then add another layer of eggplant and continue until you've used up your ingredients. End with tomato sauce and parmesan. (Don't put mozzarella on top, it will brown too quickly in the oven and burn.)
  7. Baking. Bake in a hot oven (400 F, 200 C) for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is bubbling hot and the top a bit brown. Let the dish cool a bit before eating, at least 15 minutes. In fact, it tastes best made ahead and reheated (just a bit) before eating. It can also be eaten at room temperature.
https://memoriediangelina.com/2010/08/21/parmigiana-di-melanzane/

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66 Comments on “Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)”

  1. Buongiorno Frank! I used your method for “breading” the eggplant slices last night and was very impressed with the really nice texture of the completed Eggplant Parm. The slices were so tender and almost creamy. I’ve always brushed the slides with EVO and broiled them but no longer! I did cut back on the amount of Pecorino in the egg mixture as I was planning on using some Provolone del Monaco between the layers that we’d brought home from Rome a few weeks ago. Parm on top though! So good…

  2. This is how I learned to make this dish from my mother. My Grandmother was from Naples. We never ever use breadcrumb. I don’t use the flour either only dip the eggplant in the eggs and cheese mixture.

  3. Pingback: Parmigiana di melanzane alla siciliana (Sicilian Style Eggplant Parmesan) - Memorie di Angelina

  4. Pingback: Parmigiana bianca di zucchine - Memorie di Angelina

  5. Well, I’m hoping someone still watches & responds here as I really want to make this dish.
    I’m sure it’s not a game changer but when the recipe calls for the eggplant to be sliced fairly thin (and this is just the OCD in me), what thickness (approx) are we talking? From the picture I’d guess those slices are about 1/4 inch thick but maybe they’re thinner? Thicker? Is 1/2 inch too thick?
    Can’t wait to try this. I’ve loved all the recipes in this site that I’ve tried so far! 🙂

    Regards,
    Scott

    1. No worries, we’re still here, Scott!

      Actually it’s very. much up to your personal preference. Typically the slices would be about 1/4 inch thick, but I know cooks who like to go thinner than that. And you could go a bit thicker, say 3/8 inch. My guess is that 1/2 inch might be a little too thick, but if you want to experiment, why not give it a try. Just make sure that you take a bit more time to fry them.

      Good luck!

  6. Pingback: Melanzane alla tarantina (Taranto Style Eggplant) - Memorie di Angelina

  7. AMAZING! The best eggplant parm I have ever made or eaten. I loved that it called for no flour and your distinctions/explanations about the Americanized version VS the true version of the recipe. My partner is gluten free, thus I am so happy to have found this. I adore this website! I saved the site to Pinterest and many people have accessed your recipes because of it. You rock, Frank!

    1. Thanks so much, Susan, for your kind comments and for spreading the word about the blog. And so glad you enjoyed the dish!

  8. Excellent recipe, which I’ve now made a few times — and it was even my 10 year old’s birthday request. I have found, though, with 3 – 3.5 lbs of eggplant, I’ve required a couple more eggs and pecorino along the way in order to have enough batter (which is really what sets this recipe apart from others). Cheers!

    1. Thanks for the feedback, Scott. And I’m delighted that this dish made the cut with your 10 year old. High praise indeed! On the eggs and cheese, yes, mileage will vary depending on the size of the eggplants and eggs, among other things. Happy cooking!

  9. Frank, I made your recipe for eggplant Parmesan once again yesterday and I realize that I had not yet left a comment and praise for this fine recipe. Truth is, I was never a big fan of eggplant parm. It was always covered in bread crumbs and it always seemed rather blah, whether I made it or ordered it when out. A couple years back, shortly after I found your blog, I tried making it again — your way — floured and dipped in the egg, cheese, parsley. Coming from a guy who could take or leave eggplant parm I must say that your eggplant parm recipe has converted me to loving eggplant parm! It is like an entirely different dish once you get rid of those bread crumbs. Of course now I no longer can order it when I am out since I am spoiled by the RIGHT way to cook it! Now I make a batch every few weeks. Since I usually am only cooking for two, I usually cut the recipe back to using only one big eggplant. Thanks for the terrific recipe Frank!

    1. And thanks so much for your kind comment, Jim! I’m really glad you came around about eggplant Parmesan. Made this way, it’s one of my favorite dishes. And I totally agree the (unauthentic) version with breadcrumbs just doesn’t cut it at all.

  10. My husband Uncle also put hard boiled eggs in it,he was a Chef in Capri many years ago and taught me some wonderful recipes

  11. Thank you for the wonderful and detailed recipe. It came out perfectly , just like I tasted it first In Florence

    1. I’m so happy to hear, that, Irina. Means that the recipe was clear, which is what all of us food blogger are aiming for. (Or should be.)

  12. Hi frank,
    Many thanks to you for producing such an interesting and delicious blog! I’ve made Parmigiana di melanzane many times but didn’t know that to be authentic the aubergine should be egged and floured. I’ve just spent the afternoon, salting, flouring, egging and frying. I’ve also only recently learnt about keeping my tomato sauce ingredients very limited. So, the dish is assembled and now quietly resting in the boot of my car before I take it to share with a friend later. And I can’t wait! 🙂
    Amanda x

    1. Damn it was good! 🙂

      Love the battered aubergine! Thank you Frank, I’m always going to make it this way from now on. Well worth the effort!

  13. My mother — & apparently her mother — served this but didn’t fry it first. She baked it longer, & perhaps at a lower temperature. I’ll have to ask her. maybe that’s the Sicilian method???

  14. I love this recipe and I make it quite often. However, I grew up in similar surroundings (Italian grandma, etc) and she always fried the eggplant with breadcrumbs. Is that wrong?

  15. What town near Benevento is Angelina from? I’m from Civitella Licinio, about 5 miles from Benevento.

  16. Hi there! I am Frank’s sister, and I needed to make eggplant for our sister Chris – she was having a party. So I called my brother to ask him how to do this with fresh eggplant – I have always used already breaded cutlets. He graciously answered “Check my blog”. I have to say I was non too happy with that answer cuz let’s face it when you have direct access to the “Food Genius” you should get some perks – don’t you agree? Well as true as that may be, I humbly have to tell you, Frank could not have been more correct. I personally need pictures when I cook and I followed this recipe step by step. And I have to say my family and extended family said it was the best I have ever made! It was easier then I thought it would be and my house smelled like Angelina’s (Nana’s) for the longest time! Wonderful eggplant parm, wonderful instructions, and wonder smells to boot! Non c’e male! Thanks Frank! (I still think my meatballs are better XOXOXO ) 😉

      1. I am wondering if you are going to put the “Frank could not have been more correct” in the “what our readers are saying” section! LOL Clearly the “I still think my meatballs are better” is not!
        XOXO
        Baby Sis

  17. On a lighter side, I just dip the eggplant in flour and fry lightly in olive oil omitting the egg but will definitely add the pecorino, parsley etc to the flour…being from Campania region my mom makes it exactly like you…mille grazie!!

  18. This has to be one of the all time great dishes and as luck would have it I have melanzane in the fridge so guess what I am going to do?

  19. I made this today, let it cool down and now I tasted it …. died and gone to heaven!

    Thank you so much for this and all the other recipes! Your explanations are so helpful and easy to follow.

    I am not concerned about the fat content, evoo (extra virgin olive oil) is very healthy 🙂 and I am not eating the whole dish in one go.

    Food glorious food!

    Iris

    1. This is a *very* late reply, Iris, but thanks so much for your comment. Liked it so much I have included it on our “What Are Readers Are Saying” page. :=))

  20. @Stelio: Many thanks for your kind comment!

    Greek cuisine is one that I've always wanted to explore. So similar, it seems, in many ways to Italian cooking but yet different. I am familiar with versions of moussaka, which I have enjoyed, but surely nothing to compare with your homemade version!

  21. Frank this is one heck of a recipe, and very well written and explained. In Greece we have a dish called Moussaka which requires fried eggplant. To make the dish lighter I brush the eggplant slices with oil and roast in the oven till tender as you say. It does tend to make the whole dish less oily. Unfortunately everybody is now thinking of “Heathy Eating”. But I agree if it is not made the way it should be made then it should not be made at all!! Bravo again. Hope your move is finished and you are comfy in your new place.
    Cheers.
    Stelio from Athens, Grecia.

  22. i made this on sunday…BEST. EGGPLANT. PARMIGIANA. EVER. thank you. i've been following your blog for a little less than a year now and have made many things (mostly the casserole dishes) and they are all spectacular. i think i was italian in another life. anyway, love your recipes and the way they are written.

  23. Hi Frank and Sous-Chef Twain ( that's what I call my dog too 🙂 I have to agree Eggplant Parmigiana is a fantastic dish! I've only tried it at restaurants but honestly I can't wait to try your recipe. I'm printing it out to try it hopefully this week, how exciting. Thank you for sharing your authentic recipe.

  24. That looks great!! I learned three things today. 1)you don't have to have the eggplant in one layer to have it drain 2)weight on top while draining and 3)once they're fried use a rack instead of a plate… All good to know since I bought two eggplants at the market yesterday with the intention of making involtini later this week. Now, I may switch to this 🙂 Thank you so much!! Kate (kateis cooking)

  25. I'm with you, eggplant parmigana is at the top of my list – and it ALWAYS tastes better the next day! And, like you, I can TOTALLY eat this for breakfast without hesitation – i love your tip for pressing out the “sweat” from the eggplant – i've never done that before, i usually just salt and let sit for 10-15 minutes, rinse, then pat dry – I'm certain Angelina's method is supreme! also a great tip about not putting the mozzarella on top – frank i simply adore your blog – thank you for bringing Naples to me – since my grandmother lives in New York, and is hard of hearing to talk on the phone, and I don't get to see her often enough to glean as much from her as I long to about Naples, her life, the culture, and more…I treasure the stories and incredible cuisine you continue to bring us – thank you truly

  26. I'm with you, eggplant parmigana is at the top of my list – and it ALWAYS tastes better the next day! And, like you, I can TOTALLY eat this for breakfast without hesitation – i love your tip for pressing out the “sweat” from the eggplant – i've never done that before, i usually just salt and let sit for 10-15 minutes, rinse, then pat dry – I'm certain Angelina's method is supreme! also a great tip about not putting the mozzarella on top – frank i simply adore your blog – thank you for bringing Naples to me – since my grandmother lives in New York, and is hard of hearing to talk on the phone, and I don't get to see her often enough to glean as much from her as I long to about Naples, her life, the culture, and more…I treasure the stories and incredible cuisine you continue to bring us – thank you truly

  27. beautiful dish, like how you 'pressed' the water out and I think my preference would be like your moms, battered and fried… great recipe to try

  28. Mmmmm….next time I will try Angelina's method, with the egg. Your Parmigiana di melanzane looks fabulous!! Thanks for the recipe and for all of the interesting information about it.

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