While eggplant has never been one of my favorite vegetables, I’ve been eating so much of it in Southern Italy that it’s really grown on me.  My current favorite is eggplant parmigiano, especially the way my friend, Concetta, makes it.

There is an ongoing discussion in Campania about the correct way to make eggplant parmigiano and like any good food discussion in Italy, it frequently becomes to heated you expect at any moment it will come to blows, dissolving into a real food fight.  While Concetta’s mother makes it one way, her mother-in-law makes it another, and that is a difficult position to be in!  The two older women are from neighboring towns prompting me to think “Can’t we all just get along?!”

The biggest bone of contention appears to be just how the eggplant should be prepared before assembling.  One side says to dip the slices in beaten eggs and then dredge with flour or breadcrumbs, while the opposing camp believes just frying them naked is best.  I think breadcrumbs are too heavy and naked is too light and prefer to dip them in egg and then dredge them with a little flour.  As you wish.

Salting is also apparently an option.  If you are using the big, spongy eggplants, you’ll want to slice them and then salt them well.  Put them in a colander in the sink with a heavy weight on top for at least 5 hours if not overnight.  Once they’ve given up their water, you’ll want to rinse the salt off and dry them on paper towels.  Then you can continue with the frying stage.

The point of salting the eggplant is this:  an eggplant is made up of tiny cells or chambers, like a sponge.  When you salt it, the chambers collapse, releasing water; thus the chambers are prevented from filling again with oil when frying.

Some cooks in Campania say that you don’t need to salt the long, skinny and firm variety, like in the picture above.  Just slice them thin and proceed with the frying stage.

Of course, a third option is to blanch the slices in boiling, salted water.  While this may be a healthier alternative, boiling anything is never as delicious as frying it.  Buon Appetito e grazie Concetta!

Eggplant Parmigiano

15-25 slices of eggplant

Peanut oil for frying

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups flour

Simple tomato sauce

Fresh basil leaves

1-2 lbs whole milk mozzarella, sliced

Heat the peanut oil until 350 degrees, dip each slice into the beaten eggs and then dredge in flour and fry each slice until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Prepare a large baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and a light coating of tomato sauce.  Place a layer of fried eggplant in the pan, pressing down well.  Add a light coat of tomato sauce, some whole basil leaves and a layer of mozzarella.  Continue to layer in this way, making sure that you consistently press the eggplant slices firmly into the pan.  In this way, once it’s baked you will be able to slice it and it will maintain its shape.

Top the last layer with sauce then bake it at 400” until bubbling.  Allow it to sit 10 minutes before serving.

Southern Italian tomato sauce

1 small onion, chopped finely

2 garlic cloves, minced

32 oz tomato puree or crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

Sea salt

ground pepper

Sauté onion and garlic in a good quality extra virgin olive oil until soft.  Add crushed or pureed San Marzano tomatoes.  Cook 20 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.