Chef Graziella
Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinaci
Hand-rolled pasta sheets wrapped around a filling of ricotta and spinach, covered in besciamella and baked until golden. This is the Sunday cooking of Emilia-Romagna, made without shortcuts.
Culinary Explorer
A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Parmigiana di Melanzane
Created by
The great layered eggplant dish of Naples and Sicily, where golden fried slices meet simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. This is not eggplant parmesan. This is something far better.
Main Dishes
Italian, Neapolitan
Comfort Food
Make Ahead
Dinner Party
1 hr 30 min
Active Time
1 hr 15 min cook•2 hr 45 min total
Yield8 servings
Americans call it eggplant parmesan, but the name misleads. Parmigiana does not mean 'with Parmesan cheese,' though Parmesan does appear. The word likely comes from 'palmigiana,' the Sicilian word for the overlapping wooden slats of a shutter, which the layered eggplant resembles. Or perhaps from Parma, though this is disputed. What matters is this: the dish belongs to the South, to Naples and Sicily, where eggplants grow fat in the summer heat and tomatoes ripen to sweetness.
The eggplant must be salted. This is not optional. Salt draws out the bitter juices that would otherwise make the dish acrid and wet. An hour is sufficient. Two hours is better. Then you rinse, you dry, and you fry. Not bake, not grill, not roast. Fry. The golden crust that forms in hot oil creates the foundation of the dish.
I have seen recipes that skip the frying, that bake the eggplant instead to save calories or effort. These recipes produce something edible but not parmigiana. The fried slices have a texture and flavor that no oven can replicate. If you are unwilling to fry, make something else. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in, but what you put in must be done correctly.
Parmigiana di melanzane appears in Neapolitan cookbooks from the late 18th century, though the dish likely predates written records. Naples and Sicily both claim it as their own, engaging in the same territorial disputes that mark so much of Italian culinary history. The Sicilian version often includes hard-boiled eggs; the Neapolitan version typically does not.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
globe eggplants
Quantity
3 pounds (about 3 medium)
kosher salt
Quantity
for salting eggplant
vegetable oil
Quantity
about 2 cups
for frying
San Marzano tomatoes
Quantity
1 can (28 ounces)
whole peeled
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/4 cup
garlic cloves
Quantity
3
peeled and lightly crushed
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
fresh mozzarella
Quantity
1 pound
sliced 1/4-inch thick
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1 cup
freshly grated
fresh basil
Quantity
1 large bunch (about 1 ounce)
leaves torn
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| globe eggplants | 3 pounds (about 3 medium) |
| kosher salt | for salting eggplant |
| vegetable oilfor frying | about 2 cups |
| San Marzano tomatoeswhole peeled | 1 can (28 ounces) |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup |
| garlic clovespeeled and lightly crushed | 3 |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| fresh mozzarellasliced 1/4-inch thick | 1 pound |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1 cup |
| fresh basilleaves torn | 1 large bunch (about 1 ounce) |
Equipment Needed
- •Large heavy skillet (12 inches) for frying
- •9x13 inch baking dish
- •Sheet pans for salting eggplant
- •Paper towels or clean kitchen towels for drying
Instructions
- 1
Salt the eggplant
Trim the ends from the eggplants and slice them lengthwise into planks about one-third inch thick. Arrange the slices in a single layer on sheet pans or cutting boards. Salt both sides generously with kosher salt. Let them stand for at least one hour, preferably two. The salt draws out bitter liquid, which will bead on the surface. This step cannot be skipped.
Choose eggplants that feel heavy for their size, with taut, glossy skin and no soft spots. Older eggplants with large seeds are more bitter and require longer salting. - 2
Make the tomato sauce
While the eggplant drains, prepare a simple tomato sauce. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them by hand, removing any tough core pieces. In a saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and let it sizzle gently until fragrant and barely golden, about two minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the crushed tomatoes, season lightly with salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken but remain loose. Set aside.
- 3
Rinse and dry the eggplant
Rinse each eggplant slice under cold water to remove the salt and bitter liquid. This is essential. Dry each slice thoroughly between clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Press firmly. The eggplant must be dry or the oil will spatter violently and the slices will steam rather than fry.
- 4
Fry the eggplant
Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of one-half inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil shimmers and a small piece of eggplant sizzles immediately when added. Fry the eggplant slices in batches, without crowding, until deep golden brown on both sides, about three minutes per side. The slices should be tender throughout when pierced with a knife. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt while hot.
Do not crowd the pan. Crowded eggplant steams and turns soggy. Work in batches, maintaining the oil temperature. Add more oil between batches if needed and let it reheat before continuing. - 5
Assemble the parmigiana
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of fried eggplant slices, overlapping slightly. Spoon tomato sauce over the eggplant. Scatter torn basil leaves, then arrange mozzarella slices over all. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layers: eggplant, sauce, basil, mozzarella, Parmigiano. You should have three layers. End with mozzarella and a generous final layer of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- 6
Bake until bubbling
Bake uncovered until the cheese is golden and the sauce bubbles visibly around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. The top should have spots of deep brown. If the cheese browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil and continue baking. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- 7
Rest before serving
Remove from the oven and let the parmigiana rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting. This is not a suggestion. The dish needs time for the layers to set, for the sauce to be absorbed, for the flavors to meld. Cut immediately and you will have a puddle on the plate. Wait, and each portion holds together beautifully. Scatter fresh basil over the top before serving.
Many Italians insist that parmigiana di melanzane is best the day after it is made, served at room temperature or gently reheated. They are not wrong.
Chef Tips
- •Do not use pre-shredded mozzarella from a bag. It contains cellulose to prevent clumping and does not melt properly. Buy fresh mozzarella packed in liquid and slice it yourself. Drain the slices on paper towels before using.
- •Some Southern Italian cooks flour the eggplant before frying. Others do not. I find the flour creates a heavier coating that absorbs more oil. The choice is yours, but naked eggplant, properly dried, fries beautifully and tastes more purely of itself.
- •The dish can be assembled completely and refrigerated overnight before baking. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time if starting cold. This makes it ideal for entertaining.
- •Leftover parmigiana makes an excellent sandwich, pressed between crusty bread with a drizzle of olive oil. This is how Neapolitans often eat it.
Advance Preparation
- •The tomato sauce can be made three days ahead and refrigerated.
- •Eggplant can be fried several hours ahead and held at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or the coating softens.
- •The assembled, unbaked parmigiana can be refrigerated overnight. It may improve. Bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the cooking time.
- •The finished dish keeps refrigerated for four days and reheats well in a 325°F oven, covered with foil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 260g)
Calories
515 calories
Total Fat
43 g
Saturated Fat
15 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
26 g
Cholesterol
55 mg
Sodium
1050 mg
Total Carbohydrates
16 g
Dietary Fiber
6 g
Sugars
7 g
Protein
20 g
Where cooking meets culture.
Culinary guides, cultural storytelling, and the editorial depth that makes cooking meaningful.
Discover Culinary ExplorerMore from Chef Graziella's Casseroles and Bakes
Browse the full collection
Chef Graziella
Finocchi Gratinati
Fennel transformed by nothing more than proper blanching, good cheese, honest breadcrumbs, and butter. What you leave out matters as much as what you put in.
Chef Graziella
Gatto di Patate
The baroque potato cake of Naples, where silky mashed potatoes enfold a hidden treasure of cheeses and cured meats, then bake until a golden crust gives way to molten richness within.
Chef Graziella
Parmigiana Bianca di Amalfi
The original parmigiana of the Amalfi Coast, made as it was before tomatoes conquered Italian cooking. Layers of fried eggplant, silky besciamella, and fresh mozzarella prove that restraint creates depth.