parmigiana di · from Southern Italy · Primi & Pasta
Ingredients (for 4 people)
- 3 large eggplants, about 800 grams, cut into slices about 5 millimeters thick
- Salt
- vegetable oil for frying or olive oil for baking
- 600 grams passata (strained tomatoes)
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch basil
- 300 grams mozzarella, sliced thinly or torn into small pieces
- 100 grams freshly grated Parmesan
- 50 grams pecorino
- olive oil
- black pepper.
Preparation
- Lay the eggplant slices on a large board, salt them lightly on both sides and let them stand for 30 minutes to draw out water.
- Then pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Either fry the eggplant slices in batches in plenty of hot vegetable oil until golden brown and drain them on paper towels, or brush them with a little olive oil and roast them on a baking sheet in the oven at 200°C for about 15 minutes per side.
- For the tomato sauce, heat olive oil in a pot and sweat the finely diced onion and the pressed garlic until translucent.
- Add the passata, season with salt, pepper and a few basil leaves and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Spread a little tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant slices, cover with tomato sauce and distribute the mozzarella and a mixture of Parmesan and pecorino on top.
- Repeat this process until all the ingredients are used up; the top layer should consist of tomato sauce and plenty of cheese.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until the cheese is melted and the surface is golden brown.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting so the layers set.
- Serve sprinkled with fresh basil.