This dish is a celebration of the most famous ingredients from the south of Italy: eggplant (aubergine), mozzarella, and tomatoes. In various Italian regions, this dish is cooked in different ways. The eggplant can be coated in egg and flour before frying, which is rich and delicious. For a lighter version (but with a less intense taste), the eggplant slices can be broiled (grilled), uncoated, instead. This dish will also serve as a perfect vegetarian main course.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 40 Minutes, Plus 1 Hour Salting
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients
700g eggplants (aubergines), cut lengthwise into 5mm-thick slices
500g tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
½ bunch fresh basil
pinch of granulated sugar
2/3 cup/160ml olive oil
2/3 cup/50g freshly grated parmesan cheese
100g mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly or grated
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Place the eggplant (aubergine) slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let drain for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, put the tomatoes and 4–5 basil leaves in a pan, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar to taste, and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, for 15–20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the tomatoes through a food mill or strainer into a bowl. This will yield 1 cup/240 ml of tomato sauce.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry. Heat one-third of the oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the eggplant slices, in batches, and fry until golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Remove with a slotted spatula (fish slice) and drain on paper towels. Repeat twice again with the remaining oil and eggplant.
Spoon ¼cup/60ml of the tomato sauce into an 20x20cm ovenproof dish and arrange a layer of slightly overlapping eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle with a little of the Parmesan, cover with a few slices of the mozzarella, and sprinkle a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs on top. Continue making layers until all the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of sliced eggplant, sprinkled Parmesan, and tomato sauce. Dot with the butter and bake for 30 minutes. This dish is also good served cold.
Recipe extracted from The Silver Spoon Classic published by Phaidon
Published by Phaidon, The Silver Spoon Classic is a luxurious collection of 170 iconic recipes from Italy’s incredibly diverse regions. With dishes for all tastes and seasons, it’s a definitive guide to preparing the most important, authentic Italian meals. Enjoy the easy and delicious recipes on the pages ahead, adding a taste of Italy to your table.
