Enjoy a Delicious and Easy-to-do Meal

 

Eggplant with Parmesan cheese is an Italian pasta dish that uses eggplant instead of a meat element and has a tomato-based sauce. Similar in structure to lasagna, eggplant Parmesan is prepared by placing its sauce, eggplants and cheeses in a casserole dish and then baking them. This dish is suitable for vegetarians and is often found in Italian restaurants.

In addition to the eggplant, tomatoes or pre-made tomato sauce are needed. When fresh tomatoes are used, the fruit is always peeled and chopped before being combined with spices and pureed into a sauce. Plum tomatoes are most often used to make the sauce. If a homemade sauce is prepared, garlic is usually sautéed, then the tomato purees and spices are added to the pan with the garlic, and the mixture is allowed to cook.

There are a variety of herbs and spices that can be added to give extra flavor to this dish. Fresh basil, salt and pepper are almost always included, while oregano is sometimes used to spice up the sauce.

To make eggplant Parmesan, the eggplant is first cut into slices or long slices, and then the pieces are placed in a colander, salted and allowed to drain for up to two hours. After draining, the eggplant is packed by dredging the pieces through a series of bowls.

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Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants.
• 500 g. homemade fried tomatoes.
• 100 g. grated Parmesan cheese.
• 2 large mozzarella balls.
• 2 large eggs.
• ½ teaspoon oregano.
• 1 bunch of fresh chopped basil (optional).
• Extra virgin olive oil and a little butter for the base of the baking dish.
• Salt (to taste of each house).

Step by step before starting with the recipe:

1. Wash the eggplants well, remove the stalk and cut into slices with their skin.
2. To remove a little bitterness fill a large bowl with plenty of salted water, about 3 tablespoons.
3. Let the eggplants stand in this water for 15 minutes to remove the bitterness that could have the eggplant flesh.
4. This vegetable has very healthy dietary properties, which are attributed to its antioxidant components, responsible for its slightly bitter taste.

Assembly before baking the eggplants

• Wash the eggplant slices and dry them well so that when we pass them through the griddle the oil does not jump.
• In a griddle put a little oil and brown the eggplants. Put them aside on paper towels.
• Cut the mozzarella cheese into slices and beat the two eggs. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven with heat up and down to 350 F. In a baking dish we spread butter on the base. Then add the first layer of homemade tomato sauce.
• Then we put a layer of eggplants and cover them with grated Parmesan cheese, slices of fresh mozzarella, a little chopped oregano.
• If you like the taste of basil (a few leaves on top) and finish with a little beaten egg.
• Continue making layers in the same way. In the last layer we put eggplant, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, tomato and finish with a few brushstrokes of beaten egg.
• Baking and final presentation of the eggplant parmigiana.
• We put only the bottom part of the baking sheet for 30 minutes at 375 F.
• This way we get to cook the inside well and evaporate a little of the residual liquid. Since between the tomato, the whey of the cheese and the water of the eggplant a little liquid is formed.
• Then another 15 minutes with grill until the surface acquires a tone between golden and toasted.
• Serve immediately. You can serve it with tomatoes with chopped garlic and virgin olive oil or your favorite salad.

An Italian dish straightforward to make and in which the eggplants are tender and juicy, where with minimal ingredients a perfect daily meal comes out.

Tips for a delicious result

• It is important that you prepare this dish the same day you are going to eat it, so that the gratin is just right and fresh from the oven.
• If you can’t afford it due to time constraints, make them the day before in the evening. Heat the eggplant Parmesan in the oven at low temperature and cover with foil, so that the dish does not dry out excessively.
• Also if you prepare the tomato sauce yourself, there is no doubt that the dish will gain a lot of flavor and quality.
• The mozzarella, if possible, should be authentic buffalo mozzarella and not those substitutes sold in some supermarkets.
• However, we can also find this same recipe with grated cured sheep’s cheese or with fresh basil leaves that are added between the layers of eggplants.
• If you are a good cook and you have ovenproof ceramic casseroles, enough to put one for each diner, you can use them and prepare this recipe in each one of them.

This way you will surely be surprised by both the presentation and the flavors of this special dish.