The Authentic Italian Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Learn how to make authentic Italian eggplant parmesan with our brand new video recipe. Watch our Foodie Sisters, Benedetta and Valeria, prepare traditional melanzane alla parmigiana and then recreate the authentic flavors of this beloved dish in your own kitchen. Read on for the video and recipe.
Originally from the south of Italy, nowadays melanzane alla parmigiana, or eggplant parmesan, is one of the best-known and celebrated recipes of Italian cuisine. This satisfying dish is made from layers of fried eggplant interspersed with a flavorsome tomato sauce, slices of milky mozzarella and grated parmesan, all baked together in the oven until the ingredients merge, creating a delicious mix of rich tomato sauce, melted cheese, and soft eggplant. Easy to make at home, this wonderful vegetarian recipe from our family recipe book Il Talismano della Felicità is sure to become a regular favorite in your own home.
Melanzane alla Parmigiana
(Serves 6)
6 large eggplants
300g mozzarella
Tomato sauce (made from 1kg of fresh or canned tomatoes, get the recipe here)
50g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
30g butter
Frying oil
Salt
Note: Although some people prefer to sprinkle the slices of eggplant with salt and leave them for a few hours to remove the excess water, for this recipe it is not necessary. Only one thing is important, to select the freshest eggplants possible.
First, wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stalk, peel them and cut them lengthways into thin slices. Fry the slices immediately in a hot pan of frying oil and sprinkle them with a little salt.
Prepare the tomato sauce according to our recipe here.
Grease a baking dish with butter and add the first layer of the fried slices of eggplant. Cover with tomato sauce, grated parmigiano, and a few slices of mozzarella. Continue building up layers in the same way until you finish with a layer of sauce.
Place into a moderate oven and cook for about 15 minutes until the mozzarella has melted and the flavors have combined.
Buon appetito!
