Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)

Many regions of Italy claim the paternity of the "Eggplant Parmigiana," but it is almost certain that the word "Parmigiana" is not due to the region of Parma, as in the case of Parmesan cheese, but rather to the Sicilian dialect word "parmiciana," which is the lath of shutters, and recalls the way that we put the eggplant when we make the "eggplant parmigiana."

Beyond the historical origins, "Eggplant Parmigiana" is definitively my favorite dish, but it has to be made as I show you below, because some recipes add eggs and breadcrumbs, then it becomes a heavy dish.

Ingredients

• 3 lb (~1.5 kg) Eggplant
• 35 Oz (~ 1 L) canned tomato puree;
• 1 lb (500 gr) Mozzarella cheese;
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Handful basil leaves.
• 1 tbp extra virgin olive oil;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• Crushed Italian hot pepper (optional);
• Salt;
• Vegetable oil (for frying). 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Cut the eggplants into slices without peel them, and place them in a colander with salt in order to remove their bitterness for 30 minutes, then rinse them, press them, and fry them in plenty vegetable oil. When the eggplant is golden, drain them, and then dry them in paper towel.

Meanwhile, fry the garlic and the crushed Italian hot pepper in the extra virgin oil in a pot, remove the garlic when it is golden and add the tomato puree, let it cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Dice the mozzarella in small cubes and put aside.

With a ladle pour some of the tomato sauce in the base of a rectangular baking dish, and above it put some eggplant slice, and above it put another ladle of tomato sauce and the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese.

Repeat the process 3 times, or until you have used all of the slices of eggplant. Above all add the basil leaves. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving, you can eat it hot or cold.