A mainstay of the Italian housewife. There are many variations, but this is one of my favorites.
- 2 recipes Eggplant Cutlets
- 2 recipes Chunky Tomato Sauce with Basil or Spicy Tomato Sauce with Capers
- 1 lb mozzarella, grated, if low-moisture, or torn into shreds, if fresh
- 1/4 lb Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, grated
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cover the bottom of a 13×9 baking pan with a layer of sauce. Add a layer of eggplant cutlets. Cover with both kinds of cheese. Repeat until the pan is almost full, then finish with a thick layer of sauce and a thick layer of cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven. Bake until warm through and cheese is melted, 15-25 mins. Remove foil and bake until cheese is slightly browned, 5-10 mins.
Variations
Use unbreaded eggplant slices. Slice, salt and drain the eggplants as for cutlets, but skip the breading step and fry the slices directly. Since a parmigiana made with unbreaded eggplant tends to be oilier and also to fall apart more easily, drain the fried slices well and pat them dry with paper towels before assembling the dish. Making the sauce extra thick also helps.
Try adding 3-6 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced or (for a non-vegetarian recipe) 3-5 slices ham, torn into strips.
Cotolette di Melanzane (Eggplant Cutlets)
- 1 medium-sized eggplant
- 2-3 cups bread crumbs, unseasoned
- 6 large eggs
- flour for dusting
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Frying oil
Directions
Wash the eggplant and remove the green stem end. Cut the eggplant crosswise into quarter-inch to half-inch slices. (Do not peel.) Place slices in a large colander and salt them generously. Cover with a plate or lid that is smaller than the top of the colander, and set a weight on the lid. Place the colander in the sink to drain for a half hour to an hour.
Arrange three wide, shallow containers in a row on a work surface. Fill the first with a layer of flour, the second with four of the eggs (beaten) and the third with breadcrumbs, seasoned with pepper and other spices to taste.
Rinse the salt off of the eggplant slices and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Bread the eggplant by dredging the slices in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Fill one or more deep frying pans with an inch to an inch and a half of oil, and heat on the stove over medium-high heat until a pinch of flour/egg/breadcrumb mixture bubbles and begins to cook immediately upon being dropped in. Fry the slices in batches until golden brown and drain between thick layers of paper towels.
Best eaten warm, or in eggplant parmesan.
Chunky Tomato Sauce with Basil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 20-oz can unseasoned crushed tomatoes, OR 1 20-oz can unseasoned whole tomatoes, crushed or chopped
- 1 20-oz can tomato sauce
- 6-10 leaves fresh basil
Directions
Place olive oil and garlic in a pot and heat gently until the garlic begins to soften. Pour in tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Add basil, either chopped or shredded by hand, and leave to simmer for a few minutes until basil is thoroughly wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over pasta with a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Spicy Tomato Sauce with Capers
- 1 20-oz can unseasoned whole tomatoes
- 1 20-oz can unseasoned tomato sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- red pepper flakes
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves
- capers
- extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute, until the garlic is cooked but not browned.
Crush, tear or chop the whole tomatoes into coarse pieces, making sure not to lose the juices. Mince all but two of the basil leaves, and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and minced basil to the pot. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground pepper, extra-virgin olive oil and red pepper flakes. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to desired consistency.
Tear the remaining basil leaves into coarse shreds. Add torn basil leaves and capers to the sauce. Cook for a few more minutes, until the basil leaves are wilted. Correct the seasoning.
Remove from heat and serve over a chunky, ridged pasta like penne rigate or rigatoni.
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