Aubergine Parmigiana is a classic south Italian dish. It's also known as Melanzane alla Parmigiana (in Italy) and Eggplant Parmesan (the US).
The hero of Aubergine Parmigiana is thinly sliced sautéed aubergine. We brush the slices liberally with olive oil and cook on the stove top until browned and soft. We layer the aubergine with a rich tomato sauce infused with basil leaves and lots of finely grated parmesan. And that's it - so simple! It's baked in the oven until bubbling hot and melty. The dish is soft and saucy and rich. It's a perfect comfort food for all seasons.
There is no need to salt OR peel your aubergine for this dish.
❓How do you eat aubergine parmigiana?
- cut through the layers in thick slices to serve with roasted meats. It's a great alternative to roast veggies or salad.
- peel off aubergine slices layer by layer to top bread. Word of warning though - there is always someone who didn't get the memo and hacks into it! 🤣
- individual servings in shallow ceramic bowls for a (veggie*) main course (see note in Ingredients section below).
- served atop bread chunks as a tapas dish or canapé with drinks.
- makes an incredible sandwich filling, paired with good focaccia or sourdough bread.
- you can chop up leftovers and stir though freshly cooked pasta for a quick meal.
Aubergines are such a fantastic and versatile vegetable. They're known for being fairly 'meaty' in texture. They're a great ingredient for creating dishes that are substantial and delicious. Aubergine dishes are my 'go-to' when I want an veggie option that die-hard meat-eaters will love too.
Aubergine parmigiana:
- is equally good served warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the fridge (maybe that's just me?).
- can be made in advance (probably the better for it too).
- freezes like a dream
- can be cooked from frozen
- keeps well after making, with no compromise in texture/flavour.
🥘 Ingredients
There are very few! Let's make them good quality ones.
Aubergine/Eggplant - choose firm, shiny, unblemished ones. It can be hard to tell if they end up being quite seedy inside until you cut them open. Thankfully, although it makes them a bit trickier to cut into neat slices, it's not the end of the world in terms of end result. The dish will still taste delicious.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - we do need quite a lot (about ⅔ cup). The eggplant soaks up quite a bit. There are recipes that suggest baking slices of aubergine, but please don't. It's really got to be olive oil for this Mediterranean dish, for its richness and flavour. No one said this was diet food 😉
Tomato Sauce - we need about 400ml of good quality pizza/pasta sauce. I use my rich tomato sauce recipe, which is simply made with good-quality canned tomatoes and lots of fresh basil. It's rich and thick, slightly sweet, slightly spicy.
Parmesan Cheese - adds savoury/salty note (that's why no extra salt is added). Reserving some for the top provides an appealing toasted layer and adds a touch of texture. Some aubergine parmigiana recipes use mozzarella cheese too. None in this recipe. I don't like the texture of this unless you're serving it straight from the oven, when it's very soft and stretchy. Cooled down mozzarella is not the best use of this cheese.
*Authentic parmesan is never vegetarian. Make sure to source a vegetarian equivalent if this is important to you.
This dish is low FODMAP if you stick to the portion size recommended here. Larger amounts of tomato sauce are not low FODMAP. It's gluten-free (I don't top my Aubergine parmigiana with breadcrumbs).
🔪 Instructions
(Photo 1) We thinly slice the aubergine, aiming for about 3-4mm thick. It's nice to get them consistently sliced for cosmetic reasons, but not the end of the world if this is too hard! This is because we sauté the slices before layering. Any thicker slices will only take a little longer to soften and brown. The result will still taste good.
I've tried using a mandolin for slicing aubergines but found it too hard. Aubergines are a little spongy and can be too wide for many standard mandolins.
Now, you might be wondering why we don't slice rounds (which would be easier!). It's because rounds would take up more space in the pan to sauté. Also, longer slices lend themselves better to layering. If you use a small loaf pan, they're about the same size and shape.
I find it easiest to rest the aubergine down along its length and make thin slices until the midway point. If you're having issues with the aubergine rocking around, you can cut off a thin slice and lay the eggplant down on the flat surface that creates. Once you have sliced half the eggplant, you can lay the aubergine down on the cut edge. Then slice across a few mms across the bottom. Remove the slice and repeat. You'll want to press down firmly with the non-cutting hand (keep your fingers out of the way!). Don't worry if some slices are thicker on one side than the other, or a bit raggedy. No one will be able to tell once it's all layered up. This dish is very forgiving!
(Photo 2) Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with oil.
(Photo 3) Sauté in a preheated pan. There is no need to oil the pan. Cook until the slices are golden brown on both sides. You can speed up this process by having two frying pans on the go. You'll need to stay close until this process is complete. The slices will need frequent tending to. You'll be needing to do a combo of flipping, moving, transferring and replacing the slices until they're all done.
There are two other recipes (so far!) on this site where I suggest preparing slice eggplant like this - Vegetable Lasagna and Moussaka. If you love eggplant as much as I do, check them out. Another piece of good news....sautéed eggplant/aubergine slices freeze like a dream. Save any extra slices in zip lock bags with excess air squeezed out. There's no need to separate the slices; the oil means they can be peeled apart easily once defrosted.
There's no real strategy to the layering. The number of layers will depend on how wide your dish is and how thick your slices are. You may put a few layers of aubergine in each layer if they're very thin or not complete slices. Don't worry about the number of layers. Start with aubergine in one layer, spoon and spread over a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce. Add a generous pinch of grated cheese and some freshly ground black pepper. Repeat until all the aubergine is used up. Reserve some extra cheese for sprinkling liberally over the top before baking (uncovered).
The aubergine and tomato sauce are already cooked. Baking in the oven serves to heat through to combine flavours and melt the cheese. It will take about 30 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving for optimal flavour.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- small loaf pan (for more layers) or any small baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 160 ml extra virgin olive oil ⅔ cup
- 400ml pizza/pasta sauce
- 100 g parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice Aubergine – no need to peel. Thinly slice along their length, aiming for 3-4mm per slice.2 aubergines
- Sauté – brush each slice on both sides with olive oil and cook over medium heat until softened and browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with all the eggplant slices.160 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Preheat Oven - to 180°C
- Layer – aubergine slices (2-3 per layer), about two tablespoons of tomato sauce, a big ‘pinch’ of parmesan and generous grind of black pepper. Repeat until you have used all the aubergine. Finish with tomato sauce, cheese and black pepper.400ml pizza/pasta sauce100 g parmesan cheeseFreshly ground black pepper
- Bake - cook for around 30 minutes uncovered, until it is bubbling hot and slightly blackened on top
- Cool & Serve – allow to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving, either slice-by-slice or in in cross-sectional slices
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