Mozzarella long drain
Fresh cheese can release a lot of whey. Cubed in the sieve, it loses excess liquid before it enters the casserole.
Italian Recipe
Parmigiana di Melanzane
The aubergine slices are fried without panade and drained thoroughly. A dry sauce and well drained cheese prevent an watery Parmigiana.
Total time
2 hr 30 min
Calories
590 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Italian eggplant casserole with tomatoes and cheese
A good parmigiana remains juicy but stable when cut. All ingredients must bring as little free liquid as possible. The tomato sauce is reduced openly, Fior di Latte drained for several hours and the eggplants are degreased on a grid after frying. A rest period after baking is just as important as the cooking time.
Mediterranean Cuisine
Vegetarian Dinners
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Parmigiana di Melanzane
Parmigiana di Melanzane layered golden brown fried eggplant with concentrated tomato sauce, basil, Fior di Latte and Parmigiano.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
-
1
Dewatering aubergines
Sprinkle the eggplant slices with coarse salt and let them rest in a sieve for 30 minutes. Then rinse briefly and pat dry very thoroughly.
-
2
Reduce tomato sauce
Heat olive oil and fry onion for 6 minutes. Add seasoned tomatoes and salt, cook open for 25 to 30 minutes and stir in half of the basil.
-
3
Fry aubergines
Heat peanut oil to 175 °C. Fry eggplants on each side for about 90 seconds and drain over kitchen paper on a grid.
-
4
Build First Layers
Preheat the oven to 190 °C top/bottom heat. Spread some sauce in a shape of about 24 x 32 cm, place on it slightly overlapping eggplants.
-
5
Coating with cheese
Cover aubergines thinly with sauce, add Fior di Latte, Parmigiano and basil. Repeat until all is consumed; finish with sauce and Parmigiano.
-
6
Bake Parmigiana
Bake on medium track for 35 to 40 minutes until the sauce bubbling at the edge and the surface is strong golden brown.
-
7
Leave to rest before trimming
Allow Parmigiana to stand uncovered for at least 25 minutes. Thus, the layers sit down and the pieces can be lifted cleaner from the shape.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Parmigiana di Melanzane
Building Thin Layers
Too much sauce or cheese per layer makes the Parmigiana slip. Several thin layers result in a more stable, harmonious texture.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Oil slices thinly and bake at 220 °C for about 20 minutes, once turn. Parmigiana will have lighter but less silky toasted aromas.
Replace one third of the Fior di Latte with mild caciocavallo. The casserole gets more spice and remains stable due to the firmer cheese.
Nutrition per serving
590kcal
29.0 gCarbohydrates
24.0 gProtein
42.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Parmigiana di Melanzane
In many traditional variants they are fried unpanned. Panade is a possible house variant, but makes the layers thicker.
Tomato sauce or mozzarella were often too wet. Reduce sauce significantly, drain cheese for a long time and degrease eggplants well.
Modern varieties are rarely bitter, but the salting removes some water and improves the structure when frying. The step is therefore still helpful.
Yes. It can be completely baked and slowly warm the next day. Fresh from the oven, it should rest for at least 25 minutes before cutting.
It tastes warm or particularly good at room temperature. Cheese and sauce look firmer and less aromatic directly from the refrigerator.
Keep cooking