How to Prepare a Aubergine Parmigiana

Aubergine Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane) is a celebrated dish from southern Italy, most strongly associated with Campania and Sicily. It layers fried or roasted aubergine with tomato sauce and cheeses, then bakes the dish until meltingly soft.

Its fame comes from a few factors:

• Perfect balance of textures: creamy aubergine, tangy tomato, and bubbling cheese.

• Regional Italian identity: it reflects the Mediterranean ingredients of southern Italy—aubergine, tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs.

• Layered “lasagne-style” comfort food: but without pasta, making aubergine the structural element.

• Versatility: served as a main vegetarian dish, a side, or even eaten cold the next day.

Serving it on a bed of fresh tomato coulis with marjoram adds brightness and herbaceous fragrance that contrasts the rich baked layers.

---

Recipe

Preparation Time

• Prep: 20 minutes

• Cooking: 40 minutes

• Total: ~1 hour

---

Equipment Needed

• Chef’s knife

• Chopping board

• 1 frying pan or grill pan

• Small saucepan

• Baking dish (approx. 20 × 15 cm)

• Mixing bowl

• Tongs or spatula

• Paper towels

• Blender or stick blender (for coulis)

---

Ingredients (Serves 2)

Aubergine Parmigiana

• 1 large aubergine (≈400 g)

• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for frying if desired)

• 150 g mozzarella, sliced

• 40 g grated Parmesan

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• Salt and black pepper

Fresh Tomato Coulis

• 250 g ripe tomatoes (or good-quality tinned plum tomatoes)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves (plus extra for garnish)

• Salt and pepper

---

Preparation

1. Prepare the Aubergine

1. Slice aubergine into 1 cm rounds or as thinly as possible using a mandoline.

2. Lightly salt and leave for 10 minutes (draws out bitterness).

3. Pat dry with paper towel.

4. Brush slices with olive oil.

5. Grill or pan-fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden and soft.

---

2. Make the Tomato Coulis

1. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add shallot and cook 3–4 minutes until soft.

3. Add tomatoes and simmer 8–10 minutes.

4. Add vinegar, marjoram, salt and pepper.

5. Blend until smooth for a light sauce.

Tip: A coulis should be smooth, bright, and slightly thinner than pasta sauce.

---

3. Assemble the Parmigiana

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (fan 170°C).

2. In the baking dish layer:

   • Aubergine slices

   • A spoon of tomato coulis

   • Mozzarella

   • Parmesan

3. Repeat layers until ingredients are used.

4. Finish with Parmesan on top.

---

4. Bake

Bake for 20–25 minutes until:

• Cheese is melted

• Top is golden

• Layers are bubbling.

Let rest 5 minutes before plating.

---

Plating

1. Spoon fresh tomato coulis onto the centre of each plate.

2. Place a square or stack of aubergine parmigiana on top.

3. Finish with fresh marjoram leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

---

Approximate Nutrition (Per Serving)

(Values depend on oil and cheese quantities.)

---

 Chef’s Tip:
For deeper flavour, make the dish a few hours ahead and reheat gently. Like many layered Italian dishes, the flavour improves as the ingredients meld.