The Cookbook Store: Eggplant all Parmagiana

Eggplant alla Parmagiana

Melanzane alla Parmagiana

Biba's Taste of Italy
Biba Caggiano
Although the writing may not be so brilliant as the essays in Lyn Rosetti Kaspar's The Splendid Table, also on the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, Biba Caggiano's latest book is infinitely more intimate, sharing as it does her memories of the cooking of her grandmother, mother, and aunts. Although some of the recipes are well-known, such as eggplant parmigiano, there are also unusual seafood, chestnut, and Swiss chard dishes. Illustrated. $52.95.

Serves 6 to 8

This dish, which in many minor variations is typical of the Emilia side of the region, takes its name from the city of Parma. The famous Neopolitan parmagiana, a distant cousin, covers the eggplant with a spirited tomato sauce and tops it with the superlative local mozzarella. The Parma version enriches the sauce with proscuitto and mortadella and tops it with Parmagiano-Reggiano and butter. In Bologna, where the dish is called alla Bolognese, diced fresh tomatoes are used instead of tomato paste.

4 medium eggplant (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
Salt
Olive oil for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup finely minced yellow onions
1 thick slice mortadella (about 2 ounces), finely minced
1 thick slice proscuitto (about 2 ounces), finely minced
1/4 cup double-concentrated Italian tomato paste, diluted in 4 cups chicken broth (page 75)
or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmagiano

Peel the eggplants and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place in a large dish or on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt, tossing the slices to salt them evenly. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. (The salt will draw out the eggplant's bitter juices.) Place on paper towels and pat the slices dry with paper towels.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the flour on a sheet of aluminium foil. When the oil is nice and hot, lightly dredge a few slices of eggplant at a time with flour, turning to coat both sides, and lower them into the hot oil. Fry, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides, 2 or 3 minutes, then drain on paper towels. Pat dry with additional paper towels.

Wipe the skillet clean and heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until lightly golden and soft, stirring, until lightly golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mortadella and proscuitto and stir for a minute or two, then add the diluted tomato paste and season lightly with salt. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, stirring from time to time, until the sauce has a medium-thick consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. (Makes about 3 1/2 cups.)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 12 x 9 baking dish with a few tablespoons of butter.

Place a layer of one-third of the eggplant, slightly overlapping, in the dish. Spoon one-third of the sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with one-third of the Parmagiano. Repeat with two more layers each of eggplant, sauce and cheese. Dot the top with about 2 tablespoons butter.

Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the dish settle for a few more minutes before serving.

Proscuitto and Parmagiano Rinds

These are never discarded in the kichens of Emilia-Romagna. A small piece of the rinds of proscuitto and Parmagiano added to lentils or bean stews and soups imparts a delicious flavour.