Subject: Parmigiana di Melanzane
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Wed May 24 2000 - 07:32:55 EDT
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a true food funny from reader "DDor":
My wife and I were lunching at a sidewalk cafe in Huntington Beach,
CA. Our waitress looked like a real surfer girl - athletic with a
great tan and blond hair. Mulling over the menu, my wife asked her if
the roast beef was rare. The waitress gave us a long blank look, then
replied, "Well, no - we have it, like, just about every day."
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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Most of my American readers know this dish as "Eggplant Parmesan," and
may not realize that its use of mozzarella and tomato sauce marks it
as a dish typical of the area surrounding Naples.
Parmigiana di Melanzane
2 medium-sized eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices
1/2 cup (125 ml) bread crumbs
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
6 Tbs (90 ml) olive oil
3 cups (750 ml) marinara sauce (see below)
8 oz (250 g) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle the eggplant slices lightly with salt and place on paper
towels for 30 minutes to drain. Mix bread crumbs and oregano on a
plate. Dry the eggplant slices, dust with flour, dip in beaten eggs,
and cover with bread crumb mixture. Heat the olive oil in a skillet
over medium heat and saute the eggplant slices until medium brown,
about 5 minutes per side. Place a thin coating of marinara sauce in
the bottom of a baking pan large enough to hold the eggplant in a
single layer. Arrange the eggplant slices on the sauce. Place a
slice of mozzarella on top of each eggplant slice and sprinkle with
the Parmesan. Cover with the remaining marinara sauce. Bake in a
325F (165C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
Marinara Sauce
4 Tbs (60 ml) olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
16 sprigs of fresh parsley (leaves only), chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups (1 L) plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 Tbs (15 ml) dried oregano
6 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 Tbs (30 ml) tomato paste
Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic
and parsley and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not
brown. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper, and simmer over
low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the optional
anchovies and tomato paste and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning
if necessary. Makes approximately 3 cups.
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