May 25

Parmigiana Melanzana with Ragù Sauce

Parmigiana Melanzana with Ragù Sauce

A wonderful Italian specialty: “Parmigiana Melanzana" that Italians love to eat. Tasty and fragrant eggplants combined with bolognese sauce, with the addition of mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil leaves. The preparation of this dish is not very fast, but it is worth it because you have an amazing Sunday lunch for the whole family. You can prepare this dish in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight. For eggplants: you have to wait for all the liquid to come out of them, that takes some time to do the job properly because you also have to roll these eggplants in the frying mixture beforehand. This dish is a true Mediterranean style, delicious and aromatic. I prepare it at least once a month. Follow the recipe.

Ingredients: baking dish 30x24 cm, simple, total time: 120 min, 6 servings

1.3 kg eggplants/ distributed in circles or longitudinally on wider leaves 4 pack mozzarella/ 400 g cut into rings
100 g grated Parmesan cheese to taste
basil and oregano to sprinkle to taste

Sauce:

For Frying Eggplant:

Preparation:

First, wash the eggplants, clean them of stalk, (do not throw away the peel!).

Then cut them into slices about 5 mm thick along the length or to rings.
Arrange the slices cut in this way in layers in a colander, sprinkle with salt between one and the other layer. This procedure is useful because it releases the liquid.
Place the colander in a bowl, cover it with a plate or a heavier board that presses better. Let them stand like this for about 30 minutes, because it is necessary to drain the water from the vegetables well.
While you wait for the eggplants to drain from the liquid, make the bolognese sauce.

Sauce:

Fry the chopped onion for a few minutes until it becomes transparent. Then add the finely chopped garlic, wait for the aroma to release for a few seconds, then add the bolognese sauce, tomato juice, basil, oregano, salt, pepper to taste.
Cook for about 25-30minutes on low to moderate heat, with occasionally stirring and adding water, then turn off heat. Put the finished sauce on the side.

Processing:

In a deep dish, add eggs, flour, sour water, a little salt, beat with a hand beater, until you get a slightly thick mixture for frying. Slightly thicker than pancake batter.
After pass time, press the eggplants with your palms so that a little more juice comes out of them.
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and heat it over moderate heat.
Dip several pieces of eggplant in the frying mixture, drain well from the mixture and place them on hot oil, fry them until they are golden brown on both sides.
Place the fried finished eggplants on kitchen paper in a plate to absorb the rest of the fat. Do all this with the remaining ingredients and set aside.
In a deep pan 30 × 24 cm: spread with a little Bolognese sauce with the help of a ladle, arrange the fried eggplants side by side. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste, sprinkle with basil, then arrange the mozzarella cut into rings then pour Bolognese sauce over it, sprinkle with oregano. Repeat this several times. I had three layers. On top must be bolognese sauce and mozzarella, as in the picture. Sprinkle with oregano to taste.
Parmigiana Melanzana prepared in this way can be eaten the next day. Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap.
Bake in a heated oven with fan, at 180 °C, for 20–25 minutes.
The dish is ready for everyone when the crust is caught on top
When is finished, wait for 10 minutes, cut in portion, serve warm. I believe you will enjoy the bites!

Buon appetito!

NOTE:

The duration of preparation also depends on the amount you are making, if there are two of you, cut the amount in half, you will need a square container 20×20 cm.
As for the oil, I was very economical, I always added a little and waited for it to heat up and added the eggplants, so I didn't use a lot of oil for this dish.
If you don't want to bake these eggplants, it's not a problem, arrange them and drain them, but peel off the skin beforehand. In this recipe, I didn't peel the eggplant because I think it's a shame to remove this part because it's full of vitamins.
You can avoid frying if you don't really want to, or if you like to use less flour or eggs. Fry the eggplants in a little oil until they are golden brown on both sides.
The dish can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days!