Eggplant Recipes: Eggplant Parmesan
Posted on Mar 25, 2009 10:34:27 PM
Let’s go back to a classic: eggplant parmesan. This indeed is a lighter version, as the eggplant is grilled and not fried (speaking of grilling eggplants, if you are more keen on even lighter eggplant recipes, try the grilled eggplant).
Interesting historical note. Traditionally, the name of the dish is explained as Eggplant Parma-style, “parmigiana” (parmesana in old Italian) being the adjective for the city of Parma. According to another interesting theory though, the name comes from parma = shield, which would recall the layers that compose the eggplant parmesan dish.
This eggplant recipe for Parmigiana is for two people:
- 2 eggplants
- 400g (about 1 pound) tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 ball of mozzarella cheese
- 4 leaves of basil
- extra virgin olive oil,
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic
- red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar (optional)
- Parmesan cheese
After cutting the eggplants into ½ cm (0.2 in) slices we need to get the water out. Put a colander in the basin, rub some salt on each slice and lay them in the colander, one on top of the other in two piles. Place a dish on top of the piles and, on it, whatever is heavy enough to push down, like two packets of pasta. Leave gravity do its job for 30 minutes.
In the meantime prepare the sauce for the eggplant parmesan layers. This is not the real conserva sauce, as it should be, but a quicker version (these are hectic days with lot of work and no fun). Heat a frying pan and add some extra virgin olive oil. When it’s hot, add the cloves of garlic and the basil leaves. When they start to shrink, pour the chopped tomatoes and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Adjust salt and pepper and add just a little bit of sugar if you find it too acid, and a little bit of vinegar to give it a weird twist.
After the 30 minutes have passed, preheat a grill or a non stick pan, no need to use oil. Now the eggplant slices should be wet, get some kitchen paper, pat dry each slice, grill them, and put them aside when they are brownish.
When the last eggplant slice has cooled down, preheat the oven at 180°. Take a not too big oven proof pan and start building your shield. It goes like this: a layer of eggplants, a ladle of tomato sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan, two or three pieces of mozzarella. And so on, until the slices are finished. The top layer should be only tomato sauce and Parmesan.
Cook the eggplant parmesan in the oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
Eggplant Recipes: Grilled Eggplant
Posted on Feb 7, 2009 12:06:28 AM
There you go, grilled eggplant as a main course. Who said that cooked or grilled vegetables were born as side dish? If Peas with onion and bacon bits can also be a pasta sauce, then a grilled eggplant can be your main course. In Italian cuisine, baked eggplant usually is a more popular choice, but this is ideal if you fell allergic to the oven knob.
- 1 eggplant per person
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar
- salt and pepper
- parsley
Preheat a grill, or a nonstick pan.
Slice the eggplant into ½ (0.2 in) cm slices.
Mix together in a bowl the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Place the slices on the grill/pan and let them grill until they’re dark and dry, but not withered, then place them in layers in a casserole or a dish.
Spread the dressing and the parsley on top of each layer. Be generous, but don’t soak them. Use a spoon, or (better) a kitchen brush. If you run out of dressing add again the ingredients in the same proportions.
There’s no need to serve them hot, this eggplant recipe is good at any temperature.
A couple of notes on how to cook eggplant:
Slicing. Eggplants tend to darken after cutting, don’t slice them all in one go, just what you can put on the grill.
Dressing (1). As oil tends to come to the surface, remember to stir the dressing.
Dressing (2). I like the taste of vinegar on eggplants, but feel free to change oil-vinegar proportions according to your taste.
More eggplant recipes: eggplant parmesan
Is grilling out of question? Try an Italian salad (whatever it means…)
Cooking eggplant is fun, if you liked this grilled eggplant try the rest of vegetable recipes.