Recipe: Appetizing Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan). Crispy Baked Eggplant Video Recipe by Bhavna Eggplant parmigiana or eggplant Parmesan is one of the most popular and iconic vegetarian Italian dishes and this recipe is straight from Italy. This aubergine parmigiana recipe is a brilliant vegetarian alternative to a lasagne.

It's a hearty side dish or great meatless/vegetarian main. While eggplant parmesan is usually served over pasta (often spaghetti) in the U. S., that's not the tradition in Italy. You can have Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) using 18 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

1. Prepare of Sauce.
2. Prepare 1 (14.5 oz) of can of crushed tomatoes.
3. Prepare 1/4 cup of dry sherry.
4. It's 1/2 of large onion, diced.
5. It's 4 of garlic cloves, minced.
6. It's 2 tsp of Italian seasoning.
7. It's 1/2 tsp of black pepper.
8. You need 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes.
9. It's 1 tbsp of tomato paste.
10. It's 1 tsp of anchovy paste.
11. You need 1 1/2 tbsp of vegetable base OR 2 vegetable boullion cubes.
12. It's 1 tsp of sugar.
13. You need 2 tsp of olive oil.
14. You need of Main.
15. It's of ~2 lbs eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch slices (2 large globe or 3 - 4 Italian eggplants).
16. Prepare 2 tbsp of olive oil.
17. You need 4 oz of shredded whole milk mozzarella.
18. Prepare 1 oz of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

However, the sauce made with this dish. parmigiana is not parmigiano or parmesan! Most non-Italians I come across erroneously believe that the name of this dish comes from the use of the hard cheese Hence calling it eggplant parmesan. However, the name actually reflects the arrangement of the aubergines/eggplants (melanzane). Parmigiana di Melanzane is the perfect low carb comfort food.

Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) step by step

1. Preheat oven to 450. Cover bottom of two sheet pans with aluminum foil. Coat foil and both sides of each piece of eggplant thoroughly in olive oil. Place eggplant slices into a singe layer across the two sheets..
2. Set up oven racks to lower middle and upper middle positions. Put eggplant in oven and roast for 20 minutes, switching the rack position and rotating each pan after 10 minutes for even cooking. Remove and allow to cool at least 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 375..
3. While you are roasting the eggplant, start the sauce. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add tomato paste, anchovy paste, and vegetable base. Mix in and cook about 30 seconds. Add dry sherry. Cook about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and all other seasonings. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to medium-low heat. Cover. Cook, stirring occassionally, about 20 minutes..
4. Grease an oval or rectangular baking dish well with cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup of sauce into the bottom and spread across the whole bottom. Place a single lawyer of eggplant over the sauce. Add another 1/2 cup of sauce and 1/3 of the cheeses..
5. Place another layer of eggplant, 1/2 cup of sauce, and 1/3 of the cheese. Continue with the final layer of eggplant and top with remaining sauce and cheese. Place into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving..

I've never made a secret of the fact that I like comfort food. That's when I remembered my old favorite, Parmigiana di Melanzane or Eggplant Parmesan as it is also known. But where traditional eggplant parm is breaded and fried. Parmigiana (/ËŒpÉ‘Ë?rmɪˈdÊ’É‘Ë?nÉ™, -ˈʒɑË?-/, Italian: [parmiˈdÊ’aË?na], also called parmigiana di melanzane [parmiˈdÊ’aË?na di melanˈdzaË?ne; -ˈtsaË?ne] or melanzane alla parmigiana. In the following article we're going to deal with Italian cuisine once again!