My goodness, where do I start? This famous dish from Italy has so many versions. I first wrote a recipe for this many years ago as the version that I was taught was unseen in any cookbook...
Recipes to follow...
Photo by La Buongustaia (Me)
The essence of summer fills the home when making homemade tomato sauce with fresh basil. Just too rewarding to miss out on!
Photo by La Buongustaia (Me)
Photo by La Buongustaia
Found my old recipe at last!...
This recipe I had written many years ago as I was so keen to share. After eating this for the very first time I was so enthusiastic to learn. When given the opportunity, I had watched closely over the shoulder of lady who had made this dish her whole life and happily volunteered to help in the preparation of this famous dish.
Over the years I too had made this so many times, that the recipe soon became my own as I made little adjustments here and there, though still retaining it's authenticity.
La Parmigiana di Melanzane
(Oven baked aubergines with mozzarella, ham and ragu sauce) serves 4-6 persons
This is really for a special occasion or as a Sunday dish. It is the Italian equivalent to the middle eastern, Greek dish Moussaka I feel. There is a little bit of work involved in the preparation but the results are extremely rewarding. You may want to prepare this in advance, to then reheat later or even eat at room temperature (once cooled down). Any left-overs, the dish can be covered in foil and kept up-to two days.
Every Italian family will have their own loved version of this, perhaps simpler. This version is typical from the Foggia provence as ham is used between the layers of aubergine, mozzarella and the ragu sauce. It can be eaten on it's own, which is quite substantial or eaten like how they do there, accompanied with good rustic bread.
There no real rules for this recipe, as I have written that every family has their very own unique recipe. This is mine which you can use as a guide and adapt to your own taste....
3-4 Large firm aubergines, washed and sliced lenghways about 8mm- 1cm.
Sea salt
Plain flour used for coating the aubergines.
4-6 Beaten Eggs
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
For the ragu sauce:
2-3Tbsp of good olive oil 'extra virgin'
1 Medium white onion, finely chopped.
1 Stick of celery, preferably from the core, washed and finely chopped.
1 Carrot, peeled, topped and finely chopped.
1 Bay leaf
300g of good quality minced pork and beef.
A glass of red or dry white wine, whatever you have around.
Salt & Pepper
2Tbsp of Tomato paste
1lt. Tomato passata.
2 Basil leaves.
For the layers:
1/2Kg Firm Mozzarella, grated.
200g Wafer thin boiled ham.
2-4Tbsp of grated hard cheese (Pecorino).
Firstly prepare the aubergines by layering into a colander, salting them lightly between the layers. Place a plate (the size to fit inside the colander) and a heavy weight over the top. Place the colander onto a dish to catch the juices and leave for 1/2 hour or so.
After about an hour the bitter juices are drawn out by the salt.
Now to prepare the ragu..
Pour olive oil and add the chopped onion, celery and carrot into a large saucepan. Place over a gentle heat and cook slowly to a simmer for about 10 minutes until the onions have softened and caramelised around the edges.
Add the bay leaf and the minced meats, adjusting the heat to high. Break down the mince with a wooden spoon or spatular and brown all over.
Still on a high heat, pour in the wine and leave to evaporate. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and then add the tomato paste. Stir thoroughly for a minute, coating the mince.
Now add the tomato passata, fresh basil leaves and 1/2 litre of fresh tap water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat slightly to a very gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and stir occasionally, making sure that the sauce doesn't catch or burn at the bottom for at least an hour.
Rinse the aubergines of salt and pat dry with kitchen paper or leave again to press for 15 minutes to remove excess water.
Preheat oven at 180•c
Now to coat the aubergines:
Place flour into a large freezer bag or large dish. Coat the aubergines in the flour a few at a time.
Heat a large frying pan with about 3cm deep of vegetable oil.
Coat the floured aubergines, one at a time in the beaten egg.
When the oil is hot, shallow fry the aubergines a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side until beautifully golden. Remove each slice from the oil by using a large slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to remove the excess oil.
At this stage the ragu should be ready, the aubergine slices all coated and fried and the mozzarella, ham and pecorino cheese all ready to be assembled.
Into a deep baking dish (lasagne dish) of about 30x 20cm, spoon in some of the sauce from the ragu to coat the surface. Add a layer of about a third of the fried aubergines. Cover this layer with a third of the mozzarella and pecorino cheese. Tear half of the quantity of ham into strips and make a layer. Spoon in a third of the ragu sauce and repeat...aubergines, cheese , sliced ham and ragu. Make another layer using the last of the aubergine slices and cover generously with the cheeses and top with the last of the ragu.
Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned slightly on top.
Buon Appetito!
To follow...
A beautiful Parmigiana from the region of Naples (Campania)
