Sicilian Eggplant Parmigiana
with Summer Salad
Cooking time
35 minutes
Servings
2/4
Calories
590 /serving
Sweeter and less bitter than your garden variety eggplant, this Sicilian fruit tastes as sumptuous as it looks. You’ll be preparing it in classic Italian fashion by making a delightfully bright parmigiana. Layer the rounds of eggplant with tomato sauce, fresh basil, plump bocconcini pearls and, of course, a heap of Parmesan cheese. Once it’s all baked into a gooey masterpiece, top with more cheese and torn basil and serve it with a radish and lettuce side salad. We think you’ll be doing Sicily proud.
We will send you:
- 1 Bunch of basil
- 1 Lettuce
- 90g French radishes
- 1 Eggplant
- 15ml Balsamic vinegar
- 60g All-purpose flour
- 213ml Tomato sauce
- 25g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 25g Bocconcini pearls
- 8g Parmigiana spice blend (basil, parsley, paprika, kosher salt)
Contains: Gluten, Milk, Sulphites, Wheat
You will need:
Peeler
Olive oil
Oil
Salt & pepper
2 Medium pans
Oven-safe baking dish
Total Fat
41 g
Saturated Fat
9 g
Sodium
870 mg
Total Carb
42 g
Sugars
9 g
Protein
15 g
Fibre
8 g
Preparation
Mise en place
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Peel and slice the eggplant into ¼-inch-thick rounds; season generously with salt on both sides and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Roughly chop the lettuce; discarding the root end. Thinly slice the radishes lengthwise; place in a bowl of cold water. Pick the basil leaves off the stems.
Make the sauce
In a medium pan, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high. Add the tomato sauce and ½ cup water (double for 4 portions) and cook, stirring frequently 2 to 4 minutes, until thickened; season with ⅓ of the spice blend and S&P. Transfer the finished sauce to a bowl and set aside.
Fry the eggplant rounds
While the sauce cooks, in another medium pan, heat ¼ cup of oil on medium-high. To a large bowl, add the flour; season with S&P. Pat the eggplant rounds dry with paper towel and toss with the flour. Working in batches and adding oil as necessary between batches if the pan seems dry, add the eggplant to the pan (shaking off any excess flour); cook, 2 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with ½ the remaining spice blend and S&P to taste.
Assemble & bake the parmigiana
In an oven-safe baking dish, form two separate parmigiana stacks (double for 4 portions) by layering the tomato sauce, fried eggplant rounds, ½ the bocconcini pearls, ⅔ of the Parmesan and ½ the basil. Divide the remaining bocconcini equally on top of each stack. Cover and transfer the dish to the oven. Bake, 6 to 8 minutes, until warmed through. Set the oven to broil; cook, 2 to 3 minutes further, until beginning to brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Make the salad
While the parmigiana bakes, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar and 3 tbsp olive oil (double for 4 portions); season with the remaining spice blend and S&P to taste. Add the lettuce, radishes (drain before adding) and remaining basil (tear with your hands before adding). Toss to combine thoroughly.
Plate your dish
Divide the finished eggplant parmigiana between your plates and top with the remaining Parmesan. Serve the salad on the side. Bon appétit!
