Individual Eggplant Parmigiana: here’s the recipe.
Individual Eggplant Parmigiana: here's the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- Coarse salt
- Flour
- 8 slices mozzarella
- Basil leaves
- Tomato sauce
- Olive oil for frying
- Extra virgin olive oil for dressing
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eggplant.
- Cut off the two ends and slice the eggplant thick.
- Arrange the slices in a colander and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
- Place a plate with a weight on top and leave them to drain for about 1 hour.
- RInse them under running water and pat them dry.
- Dip the slices in flour and fry them in hot olive oil
- When the slices are golden on both sides, let them drain on kitchen paper and then arrange them on the cutting board to prepare individual portions.
- You will arrange a slice of eggplant, a layer of mozzarella, a spoonful of tomato sauce, another slice of eggplant, another layer of mozzarella and another spoonful of tomato for each portion on the baking tray.
- Bake at 200°C for about 8-9 minutes.
- Arrange on individual plates, adding a basil leaf and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
A great classic of the Italian tradition, ideal as an appetizer and as a main course, but also for a one-dish meal. Eggplant parmigiana is so popular! Today we will go through the recipe with Chef Massimo Infarinati, who will reveal precious tricks to prepare it to perfection.
Parmigiana: eggplant first
For a perfect parmigiana we recommend buying purple round eggplants, for three simple reasons:
- They have fewer seeds.
- They are sweet and delicate.
- You will be able to cut nice broad slices, perfect for individual servings.
When buying them, make sure they are fresh:
- Their skin should be even and shiny, with no wrinkles.
- They should feel firm and elastic.
- They should not be too hard or too soft.
Please note that smaller eggplants tend to be sweeter and tastier than larger ones.
And what about the other ingredients?
Mozzarella, tomato and extra virgin olive oil are essential for eggplant parmigiana.
- Mozzarella should be sliced and drained for a few minutes so that it does not release too much water during cooking.
- Classic parmigiana is made with tomato sauce: you just need to stir-fry a little onion in extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes, add the tomato puree and cook for about 20 minutes. You could also use fresh tomatoes, cut into small cubes.
- We recommend that you use olive oil to fry the eggplant: it will help you obtain golden eggplants that are not soggy. Furthermore, olive oil has a high smoke point and withstands high temperatures very well.
- Chef Massimo Infarinati selected the Farchioni Olive Oil for frying. It is pleasantly scented and has a light fruity flavor, perfect for all types of frying.
For the final drizzle, our Chef selected Il Casolare Farchioni Unfiltered Natural Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is bottled immediately after pressing to preserve all the organoleptic properties of the olives. Thanks to its pleasantly fruity scent and delicate taste, it is perfect for enhancing the flavors of Parmigiana.
Now that you are aware of all the tricks, we will leave you to the Chef’s video recipe. Buon appetito!
