(photo courtesy of tastfood.info)
Like most Italian dishes in the US, Eggplant Parmigiano (American-style) is a gross misrepresentation of the authentic dish from the mother country. Here's a simple Eggplant recipe that will give you the essence of eggplant and cheese:
- 2 medium sized eggplants (they can be your typical supermarket type, but make sure they are free of any blemishes)
- 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (buy the real deal and grate it fresh before each use, pre-grating kills flavor)
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Cut the eggplant into circular (quarter inch) slices and toss in an extra large bowl with salt, pepper, and about 1/4 cup of olive oil (don't skimp on the salt and pepper). Get your outdoor grill set up and produce a nice hot fire. Grill the eggplant slices for 15-20 minutes in total, continually flipping to prevent burning; the trick is to nicely char the eggplant and produce a meaty/soft flesh.
Begin layering the eggplant on a large serving fish, with each layer getting (in this order) a drizzle of olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely diced parsley. 2 eggplants will probably yield 3-4 layers of eggplant. Enjoy hot or cold!
Italian
