Eggplant Parmigiana (Melanzane alla parmigiana)

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:
3 eggplants (firm)
250g mozzarella (sliced)
1 small onion (finely sliced)
basil leaves
1 garlic clove (crushed)
6 Tbls. parmigiano
½ cup olive oil
400g ripe tomatoes
100g flour
salt
pepper
pinch of sugar

Method:

1. Cut the eggplants into slices lengthwise, not thicker than 10mm (¼ inch). Place the slices on a large platter. Sprinkle them with salt, place a weight on top, and let stand for roughly 1 hour.

2. In the meantime, brown the onion and the garlic in the oil over a very low flame, then add the tomatoes and let simmer for about ½ an hour, stirring frequently. When this is done, pass through a sieve and add a pinch of salt.

3. Cut the mozzarella into very thin slices and let them dry on a cloth. Chop the basil and mix it with the parmigiano.

4. Wash the salt off the eggplant and dry them. Coat with flour and fry in very hot oil, turning them to brown and when both side are done, lift them out and drain on a paper towel.

5. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Coat a deep baking dish with olive oil and put in a layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with parmigiano, pour on a layer of tomato sauce, and cover with slices of mozzarella. Repeat this layering until all the ingredients have been used, then cover with tomato sauce, sprinkle with more grated parmigiano and bake for about 30 minutes.

Tip: This dish is very good hot or at room temperature and makes a good antipasto. Also, if you don't like vegetables you can use chicken fillets or schnitzels instead of the eggplant.