This authentic Italian recipe might
surprise you—the eggplant is not
breaded, so the result is a lighter, less
greasy dish. Serves 6 as a first course;
4 as a main course
FOR THE EGGPLANT
21/2 lb. eggplant (about 4 small or
2 medium-large)
Kosher salt
3 cups olive oil (or a blend of
olive and canola oils)
FOR THE SAUCE
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic,
peeled and cut in half
31/2 lb. plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded,
and coarsely chopped, or two
28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
(preferably San Marzano), drained
Kosher salt
12 large fresh basil leaves, torn in half
FOR ASSEMBLING
6 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into
1/2-inch pieces
11/4 cups lightly packed freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana
Padano (31/4 oz.)
PREPARE THE EGGPLANT
Peel the eggplant and cut each crosswise into
1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover the bottom and
sides of a large colander with a few eggplant
slices and sprinkle generously with salt. Top
with more layers of eggplant and salt until you
run out of slices (you’ll end up with 5 or 6 lay-
ers). Let the colander sit in the sink or over a
large bowl for at least 30 minutes and up to
2 hours. The salt will draw out water and
reduce the eggplant’s ability to absorb oil.
MAKE THE SAUCE
Heat the 3 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet over
medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until
fragrant and barely golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt. Raise the
heat to medium high and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to
break down into a sauce, 20 to 25 minutes. If
the sauce begins to dry up before the
tomatoes break down, add warm water 1 Tbs.
at a time. Lower the heat to medium and
continue cooking, stirring occasionally,
until you have a thick, chunky sauce, 5 to
10 minutes more. (Too much liquid in the
sauce will make the finished dish watery.)
Turn off the heat, remove the garlic, and stir in
the basil leaves. Season to taste with more
salt, if necessary, and set aside.FRY THE EGGPLANT
Dry the eggplant by lining a large plate with a
paper towel and setting a few slices on it. Top
with another paper towel and layer on a few
more slices. Repeat until you run out of slices.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side
of a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Add the olive oil
and heat over medium-high heat. When the
oil reaches 375°f, add as many eggplant
slices as will fit comfortably in a single layer.
Don’t crowd the pan. If you don’t have a
candy thermometer, you can test the oil
temperature by dipping a tip of one eggplant
slice in the oil. If it immediately sizzles, the oil
is ready.
Cook, turning once, until golden brown on
both sides, about 2 minutes on the first side
and 1 minute more on the second. Work-
ing quickly, pick up each slice with a slotted
spoon and press the back of another large
spoon against the slice to squeeze out as
much oil as possible. Transfer to a plate linedwith paper towels. Repeat until all the slices
are fried, layering the fried eggplant between
paper towels and adjusting the heat as nec-
essary to maintain the frying temperature.ASSEMBLE ANd BAKE
Position a rack in the center of the oven and
heat the oven to 450°f.
Layer about one-third of the eggplant
slices so they overlap slightly on the bottom
of a 10x8-inch (or similar size) baking dish.
With the back of a spoon or an offset spatula,
spread about one-third of the tomato sauce
in a very thin layer over the eggplant. Evenly
sprinkle about half of the mozzarella and
1/3 cup of the Parmigiano or Grana Padano
over the tomato sauce. Make another layer
with one-third of the eggplant, one-third of
the tomato sauce, the remaining mozzarella,
and 1/3 cup Parmigiano or Grana Padano. Make
one last layer with the remaining eggplant,
tomato sauce, and cheese. Bake until the
cheese has melted evenly and the top is bub-
bly, with browned edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.eggplant parmigiana
fInECooKInG.CoM 53