Egglplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di melanzane)

06/05/2025

Its origins are disputed between Emilia-Romagna, Campania, and Sicily, and its variations are countless: we are talking about a recipe that is a symbol of Italian cuisine, eggplant parmigiana. Few ingredients, but a lot of flavor for a dish that, depending on the region, is simply called "parmigiana," or "eggplant parmigiana," or even (and more correctly) "parmigiana di melanzane." The name is said to come from the Sicilian word "parmiciana", which in the local dialect refers to the wooden slats of shutters (which would suggest the dish originated in Sicily). The recipe lends itself to countless variations: with eggs, with cooked ham, with zucchini instead of eggplants; but today we are presenting the original version by our Cesarina Roberta from Bologna. And when we say "original," we mean with the eggplants strictly fried. Yes, because there is also the "light" version with grilled eggplants, but trust us: nothing can beat the taste of a good fried eggplant in oil!

"For me, it’s a recipe close to my heart because it is tied to childhood memories spent with a family from Salento who taught me to appreciate typical products and traditional dishes from the South”.

Egglplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di melanzane)

The queen of one-pot dishes: simple ingredients for a rich flavor

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time40m

Cooking time30m

Ingredients

2 round and light purple eggplants (about 1 kg)
700 g of tomato sauce
300 g of mozzarella fiordilatte
100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves (preferably pink)
1 bunch of basil
1 teaspoon of sugar
All-purpose flour for breading
Extra virgin olive oil
Peanut oil
Salt
Pepper

Method

Cut the eggplants into horizontal slices about one centimeter thick, sprinkle with a little salt, and arrange them, one on top of the other, in a colander. Let them rest.
Quickly brown the garlic cloves, left unpeeled and slightly crushed, in a pan with 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Then pour in the tomato sauce, half a glass of water, and the sugar. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add a handful of basil leaves, torn by hand.
Rinse the eggplant slices under running water and dry them well with paper towels. Then dip them in the flour, shaking off the excess, and fry them—no more than 2 or 3 at a time—for 4-5 minutes in a pan with plenty of peanut oil at 170°C. Drain them with a slotted spoon and lay them out, without overlapping, on paper towels.
Spread some of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a rectangular or square baking dish. Then create the first layer of eggplants, covering them with more sauce. Continue by sprinkling the mozzarella, either sliced or roughly chopped, some Parmesan, and a few basil leaves. Form a second layer of eggplants and repeat the process, finishing with plenty of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Bake the parmigiana at 180°C for about 30 minutes or until a nice crust forms. Then let it rest and absorb the flavors at room temperature for about an hour. Garnish with a few basil leaves and serve in classic slices or form individual portions using a ring mold.