Discover White Eggplant Parmigiana!
If you’ve never tried the white version of eggplant parmigiana made without tomato sauce, here’s the recipe! If you love the traditional red eggplant parmesan, you’re going to adore this white version too. Watch the Foodie Sisters in Italy, Benedetta and Valeria, prepare slices of fried eggplant layered with mozzarella and Parmigiano, baked until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
The origins of melanzane alla parmigiana (also known as parmigiana di melanzane) are hotly contested, with southern regions like Campania and Sicily each claiming to have invented the dish. Regardless of its origin, these heavenly layers of eggplant oozing with melted mozzarella offer a comforting, filling, and delicious meal.
For our version, we turned to one of our favorite Italian food writers, Ada Boni, whose book Il Talismano della Felicità is our go-to bible of traditional recipes. The classic eggplant parmesan usually features tomato sauce, but this rendition is ‘in bianco,’ meaning it’s made without tomatoes. While some recipes call for the eggplant slices to be dipped in flour or breadcrumbs before frying, we simply cook them in abundant vegetable oil before layering.
Nowadays, eggplant is not as bitter as it used to be, so there’s no need to salt and drain the slices before cooking. However, it’s important to choose good, firm, shiny eggplants for the dish. For a lighter version, you can bake or grill the eggplant instead of frying for a similar result.
Melanzane alla Parmigiana ‘in Bianco’
Ingredients
- 6 eggplants
- 300g (10.6 oz) mozzarella, sliced
- 50g (1.8 oz) parmesan, grated
- 60g (2.1 oz) butter
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Eggplant: Peel the eggplants and slice them lengthwise. Fry them immediately in hot vegetable oil until golden, then drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Fry in batches.
- Layer the Dish: Butter a baking dish and cover the bottom with a layer of eggplant slices. Top with slices of mozzarella, a few flecks of butter, and a generous amount of grated parmesan. Continue layering until you finish with a layer of eggplant. Cover the top with the remaining parmesan and a few more pieces of butter.
- Bake: Bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes until the flavors have fused, the cheese is bubbling, and the top is crisp.
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