Melanzane alla Parmigiana un sogno vegetariano

An Italian friend tells me that eggplant parmigiana originates in Naples (where it's known as parmigiana di melanzane), and that it's impossible to find the genuine article outside that city. That may be true, but according to my aunts from Sicily that they used to make the best melanzane alla parmigiana ever, they swore that the Parmigiana originates in Sicily.The more important now is that It's not at all difficult to make an excellent parmigiana at home, and while the result might lack the authentic flavor of Italy, it should certainly please your family and dinner guests. The secret is as usually on the quality of ingredients.

Ingredients/ Ingredienti

• 2 large or 8 small eggplants /2 grandi o 8 piccole melanzane
• Salt/ Sale
• A little flour/ Un po di farina
• Olive oil for frying/ Olio per friggerle
• 3 cups (12 fl oz, 360 ml) tomato sauce; or (500 g) can of tomatoes
• 3 tazze di sugo di pomodoro o 500 grammi di salsa
• 7 oz (200 g) mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
• 7 once o 200 grammi di mozzarella tagliata a fettine
• 1 cup (4oz, 100 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 tazza 0 4 once, 100 grammi di parmigiano finemente grattato
• A few leaves of fresh basil (optional)
• Alcune foglie di basilico
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Sale e pepe

Method/ Metodo

Oven: Pre-heat to 375F, 190C./ orno a 375F, o 190C

Start by salting and pressing the eggplant. You need to do this several hours before you start the main part of the preparation. Cut the eggplant into ¼-inch (½ cm) slices, and arrange these on a large plate. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. Place another plate on top, and then place something heavy on top of that (I use three or four heavy books).

When you are ready to start cooking, wash the eggplant thoroughly and dry with a paper towel. Coat each slice with a little flour, and fry it for a few minutes in the heated olive oil.

Next, arrange half the slices of eggplant at the bottom of an oven-proof dish. Pour on half the tomato sauce along with the basil, then add a layer of half of each of the cheeses. Repeat the process with another layer of eggplant, tomato and cheese, ending with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Cook in the oven for about 45 minutes, removing the lid about ten minutes before serving.

Alcuni consigliano di mettere le melanzane sotto sale per qualche ora, poi di risciacquarle, ma ora con le nuove melanzane coltivate queste operazioni sono inutili. E’ importante scegliere bene le melanzane. Lavate e asciugate le melanzane, privatele del gambo. Sbucciatele e tagliatele in fette sottili nel verso della lunghezza e friggetele subito nell’olio inarinandole. Ungete di burro una teglia, e quando tutte le melanzane saranno fritte, incominciate col disporle uno strato nella teglia. Condite questo strato con sugo d’umido o anche con una buona salsa di pomodoro, parmigiano grattato, nel quale avrete mescolato qualche foglia di basilico fresco tagliuzzata, e qualche fettina di mozzarella. Continuate cosi a disporre le melanzane a strati. Finche ne avrete, e ultimatelo col sugo.

Mettere al forno per circa 45 minuti.

SAPER SCEGLIERE

When buying eggplant, look for vegetables that are uniformly smooth and colored, without bruises. Squeeze the eggplant gently with a finger and then let go: The eggplant will reform smoothly again if it is fresh. The eggplant should feel heavy. Store eggplant in the refrigerator on a middle shelf, not in the crisper drawer. Our receipt call for salting the slices of eggplant before cooking to leech it of bitter juices. Modern eggplant cultivation has removed its bitterness so it's not absolutely necessary to do this. On the other hand, I salt eggplant out of habit.