32 AUGUST 2020
OBSESSIONS 1 Tbsp. plus 1^1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt,
divided
1 (28-oz.) can pomodori pelati (whole
peeled tomatoes), preferably San
Marzano (such as Cento),
undrained
1 (24-oz.) jar passata di pomodoro
(tomato puree) (such as Organico
Bello) (see Note)
31 /^2 lb. eggplant (about 3 medium
eggplants), peeled and cut
lengthwise into^1 / 2 -inch-thick planks
1 / 2 cup torn fresh basil, divided, plus
whole leaves, for garnish
4 oz. low-moisture mozzarella
cheese, shredded (about 1 cup),
divided
1 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,
grated with a Microplane (about^2 / 3
cup), dividedGrilled Eggplant with Summer
Marinara
ACTIVE 2 HR 45 MIN; TOTAL 5 HR
SERVES 6 TO 8Lucia LoPresti uses her home-canned
tomatoes and passata to create the per-
fectly silky-yet-chunky sauce. If using
store-bought tomatoes, opt for pomodori
pelati, tomatoes that are hand-peeled and
processed at peak season to capture their
sweetly acidic flavor. Organico Bello
passata, which is available at Whole
Foods, is a good stand-in for Lucia’s
tomato puree.1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive
oil (such as Filippo Berio Extra-
Virgin), divided
1 small yellow onion (about 8 oz.),
chopped (about 1^1 / 4 cups)- Heat 1 cup oil in a large saucepan over
medium-high. Add onion and^1 / 2 teaspoon
salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions are
softened and just beginning to brown, 6 to
8 minutes. Add pomodori pelati and pas-
sata di pomodoro. Using a heatproof spat-
ula or wooden spoon, press to flatten
tomatoes, breaking into large chunks.
Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce
heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stir-
ring every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure
sauce is not sticking, until flavors meld,
about 1 hour. - Uncover tomato sauce. Cook over
medium-low, stirring occasionally, until
sauce tightens up and reduces to about
51 / 2 cups. (Oil will rise to the top and shim-
mer on the surface.) Remove from heat,
and let cool at room temperature 1 hour.
Add 1 tablespoon salt; stir to incorporate
salt and oil, creating a thick, glossy sauce.
(The bottom of your serving bowls will
have a thin layer of red oil that’s perfect for
soaking up with bread.) Set sauce aside. - Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a large
grill pan over medium-high. Brush pan
with remaining 1 tablespoon oil to prevent
sticking. Grill eggplant planks in batches,
turning often, until tender and grill marks
appear, 8 to 12 minutes. - Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of
a 12-inch stainless steel skillet. Top with a
single layer of eggplant (about 6 pieces);
sprinkle with^1 / 4 teaspoon salt, 2 table-
spoons torn basil, and half of the mozza-
rella. Spoon 1 cup sauce over top, and
sprinkle with^1 / 4 ounce Parmigiano-Reg-
giano. Repeat layers once, beginning with
eggplant and ending with Parmigiano-Reg-
giano. Top with remaining eggplant slices,
remaining^1 / 4 teaspoon salt, and 2 table-
spoons basil. Spread remaining sauce over
top, completely covering eggplant. Sprin-
kle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and
(^1) / 4 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover skil-
let tightly with aluminum foil, and place on
a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place skillet on baking sheet in pre-
heated oven, and bake until edges are bub-
bling (lifting up foil to check), about 1 hour.
Uncover and bake until sauce tightens up
but doesn’t dry out, about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with remaining^1 / 4 ounce Parmi-
giano-Reggiano, and bake until melted,
about 3 minutes. Let cool at least 20 min-
utes before serving. Garnish with whole
basil leaves. —LUCIA LOPRESTI
MAKE AHEAD Prepared sauce may be
covered and chilled up to 4 days.
WINE Substantial Southern Italian red:
2016 Cantele Primitivo
NOTE For LoPresti’s tomato passata
recipe, visit foodandwine.com/
home-canned-passata. PH
OTOGRAPHY:^
ANTHONY^ GIG
LIOFOODSTYLIN
G^ (OPPOSITE)
:^ DREW
AICHELE