parmigiana di melanzane
This recipe is inspired by Jane Grigson’s, as well as that of my friend Giovanna del Perugia, who makes her Parmigiana in a big frying pan. At the beginning of August, I cooked this recipe for the arrival of another musical Italian friend, Giordano (from Naples, the home of Parmigiana di Melanzane) who came to give a piano recital in Marnaves. I was thrilled when Giordano said it tasted totally authentic. Without any false modesty, I attribute this to the beautiful sunny aubergines, tomatoes and basil I’d used (albeit southern French). While Jane Grigson was of the opinion that ‘the parmesan is the soul of this dish’, I think wonderfully flavourful summer tomatoes are just as essential. (In winter I’d use two tins of good Italian San Marzano tomatoes, along with 3–4 skinned fresh tomatoes, all roughly chopped, and simmer them more gently than the fresh version, for about 30–40 minutes.)
Rather than fry the aubergines in the traditional way, I like to bake mine in the oven, lightly coating them with olive oil mixed with a dash of water, to avoid the dish becoming too oily.
This dish can be made in advance and the final baking delayed until an hour before you wish to eat it.
SERVES 6
1.5kg aubergines, sliced lengthways
8 tablespoons olive oil
250g mozzarella
100g Parmegiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons basil leaves, roughly chopped
For the tomato sauce (makes about 500ml)
1 large onion, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 kg tomatoes, sliced
150ml red wine
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C, and line one large baking tray or two medium ones with baking parchment.
Put 8 tablespoons olive oil and 1½ tablespoons of water into a medium mixing bowl and roughly whisk them together. Dip each aubergine slice into the olive oil and water mixture to coat lightly, and lay them on the baking tray. Bake in the oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Soften the onion in the olive oil in a large saucepan set over a gentle heat, stirring from time to time. After about 10 minutes add the garlic. When the garlic has coloured, about 2 minutes, add the sliced tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil and simmer rapidly over a high heat until they have reduced, about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Into a wide, shallow earthenware or other overproof dish pour a third of the tomato sauce, then arrange some slices of mozzarella on top, and sprinkle with a little parmesan and basil, and top with a layer of aubergines. Repeat these layers twice more. Cover the third and final layer of aubergines with some basil, a generous layer of parmesan and dribble of olive oil. Bake at 170°C for about an hour, until the parmesan has created a golden crust on top and the sides are bubbling.