Name: Traditional Eggplant Parmigiana
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants (1 ½ pounds total), cut into ¼-inch rounds; Coarse salt and pepper; 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed; 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled; 1.5 cups plain dried breadcrumbs; 0.5 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (2 ounces), divided; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 3 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Prep Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Servings:

8

A comforting casserole with layers of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese, traditional eggplant parmigiana is also known as eggplant parmesan. It's similar to a vegetarian lasagna, but eggplant stands in for pasta—and it makes a satisfying meatless main when paired with a salad, crusty bread, and perhaps a glass of Chianti.

Eggplant parmigiana is the original, though stateside chicken parmesan (or chicken parmigiana) and veal parmesan are better known. The winning combination of a breaded meaty vegetable like eggplant—or actual meat or chicken fried in a crunchy breadcrumb coating—against the soft tomato sauce and melty mozzarella is too good not to enjoy on the regular.

What Is Traditional Eggplant Parmigiana?

A beloved Italian dish, Parmigiana di melanzane is a typical Sicilian meal—but it's also said by some sources to originate in Romagna or Campania. A classic preparation, parmigiana can be made with a variety of vegetables—zucchini is also popular, but eggplant is the best-known version.

There are three main elements of a traditional eggplant parmigiana: fried eggplant slices, a simple homemade tomato sauce, and cheeses. The eggplant is sliced and salted to draw out excess moisture, dried, and dipped in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs; slices are fried in olive oil until golden and crispy. Then the fried slices are used as layers in a casserole dish, along with a simple homemade tomato sauce and cheese—usually mozzarella and Parmesan, but some recipes call for another classic Italian cheese, Grana Padano.

Choosing the Eggplant

To make sure you have a good eggplant for this dish, check for the following:

Shiny skin: The eggplant's skin should be dark purple and shiny, not dull.
No blemishes: Check the eggplant for blemishes or wrinkles, which are signs that it is old.
Firmness: The eggplant should be firm with a little give when you gently squeeze it.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants (1 ½ pounds total), cut into ¼-inch slices
Coarse salt and pepper
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed
3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 ½ cups plain dried breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (2 ounces), divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions

Salt eggplant:

In a colander, toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Roll in towel to remove water:

Arrange slices in a single layer on a dish towel and roll up tightly to extract excess water.
Cook tomatoes and garlic:

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring tomatoes and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until thickened, 30 minutes.
Prepare breading:

In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Put flour and eggs in two more shallow dishes.
Coat eggplant slices:

Coat eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Coat with breadcrumbs.
Preheat oven; fry eggplant and drain:

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high (a few breadcrumbs should sizzle when added). In batches, fry eggplant until golden brown and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
Assemble:

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, overlapping slices slightly, 2 cups sauce, and half the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Bake:

Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Storing Traditional Eggplant Parmigiana

Any leftover eggplant parmigiana can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I peel eggplant for eggplant parmesan?

The peel of an eggplant is edible; we do not call for peeling the eggplant for this traditional eggplant parmigiana recipe. Some people prefer to peel larger eggplants because they find the skin tough.

Why do you salt eggplant?

Salting the eggplant draws out excess moisture. With eggplant parmigiana, salting the eggplant means the eggplant absorbs less oil when you fry it. It also ensures the finished dish has a robust sauce rather than a watery one.

Should I soak the eggplant in milk before cooking?

Milk is said to help draw out the bitterness in eggplant. Our recipe doesn't call for this step. If you are concerned that your eggplant will taste bitter, you can soak the slices in milk for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and pat them dry before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.