Aubergine Parmigiana Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it necessary to peel eggplant for eggplant parmesan? ›

The peel of an eggplant is completely edible. However, as the eggplant grows bigger and matures, the peel may become tough and bitter. People often prefer to peel larger eggplants because of this, but smaller eggplants do just fine unpeeled. It ends up being a matter of personal preference.

Parmigiana, known as Parmigiana di Melanzane or Melanzane alla Parmigiana, is a classic Italian dish made with thinly sliced, floured and fried eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese and baked in the oven. Parmigiana made with a filling of eggplant is the earliest and still unique Italian version.

1. Salt the Eggplant to Remove Excess Moisture. This is key to crispy results. Eggplants are 92% water.

Eggplant parmesan tends to be lighter on the stomach and is considered to be more healthy. Eggplant is also less expensive. Restaurants find that it is a much cheaper option for guests.

The middle of an eggplant has a soft, pulpy core that holds its seeds. You don't have to remove the seeds to eat an eggplant, but they do sometimes have a bitter flavor that you might like to get rid of before cooking the eggplant. You can also harvest and save the seeds to grow your very own eggplant.

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. Brining can be used instead and has the added advantage of helping the eggplant keep its shape when it's cooked, whether your recipe calls for baking, frying, or grilling.

Cut the eggplant lengthwise instead of crosswise. This reduces the amount of oil that the eggplant absorbs during frying. 2. Salt the eggplant slices and let them rest for about an hour.

10.99. Hand-breaded eggplant, lightly fried and topped with marinara and melted mozzarella. Served with a side of spaghetti. Available weekdays, 11am-3pm.

#italian they're called melanzana.

For a cheese to be classified as Parmigiano-Reggiano, it must come from particular regions of Italy and contain only certain approved ingredients. Parmigiano-Reggiano is also aged at least one year and up to three years. Parmesan, on the other hand, is not regulated, and may be aged as little as 10 months.

What does soaking eggplant in milk do? ›

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

Modern eggplant has had bitterness nearly bred out of it, so many cooks have given up the practice. Salting the slices for eggplant Parmesan is not to prevent bitter flavors, but to season the eggplant itself and, at least in my experience, keep the eggplant from sucking up too much of the olive oil from frying.

Wash the aubergine thoroughly.

Peel the skin with a vegetable peeler if you think it's wise – younger aubergine skin is fine to eat, but older, more ripened aubergine skin has a bitter taste. Cut off the stem and base, too. Leave the skin on if you are baking aubergine whole in the oven or roasting it on the grill.

The ideal wine may be of no surprise but eggplant parmesan is best matched with a Tuscan red wine such as Chianti or Brunello. If you're feeling adventurous, you can try the wild and lighter reds from the Jura in France.

Baked eggplant Parmesan lasts three to five days in the refrigerator if stored properly. Store it in an airtight container for best results.

The short answer - yes! Eggplants are naturally packed with fiber, minerals, and phenolic antioxidant compounds. These antioxidant compounds help fight free radicals, bad cholesterol, and inflammation. Eggplants are also known to be good for brain, heart, and cardiovascular health.