A recipe from Gemo

Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Name: Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1200 g Eggplant (firm medium eggplants; slice 5 mm); 2 tsp Salt (for draining, sauce, and layers); 700 g Tomato Sauce (passata or crushed canned tomatoes; not ketchup); 3 tbsp Olive Oil (for sauce and baking dish); 2 clove Garlic (crushed for sauce; remove if desired); 12 g Basil (for sauce, layers, and finishing); 350 g Cheese (Mozzarella) (drain and pat dry well); 90 g Cheese (Parmesan) (finely grated; Grana Padano works); 80 g Flour (optional light coating before frying); 600 ml Sunflower Oil (practical frying oil in Georgia); 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground; use lightly)

გემო (ოფიციალური გვერდი)Chef

115 minMedium6 servings

A hearty Italian baked eggplant main made from layers of fried eggplant, basil tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and grated hard Italian cheese. This version keeps the dish clearly Italian and vegetarian, with no walnuts or Georgian spice profile, while using ingredients that are realistic for Georgian-market home cooking.

Method

01
Trim the eggplants and slice them lengthwise about 5 mm thick. Arrange the slices in a colander in layers, sprinkling lightly with salt as you go. Set a plate on top and let them drain, then pat the slices very dry with paper towels or a clean cloth.
⏱ 45 min
02
While the eggplant drains, make the sauce. Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan with the garlic, then add 700 g tomato passata, a pinch of salt, black pepper, and a few basil leaves. Simmer until the sauce tastes rounded and is thick enough for layering, then remove the garlic if you prefer a milder flavor.
⏱ 25 min
03
Drain the mozzarella, pat it dry, and cut it into small pieces or thin slices. Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano and keep the basil leaves ready. Heat the oven to 180 C and lightly oil a medium baking dish, about 25 x 20 cm.
04
Heat the 600 ml frying oil in a wide pan. If using the 80 g flour, dust the eggplant slices very lightly and shake off the excess. Fry the slices in batches until golden and tender on both sides, then drain them on paper towels without stacking them too heavily.
⏱ 20 min
05
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the baking dish. Add a layer of fried eggplant, more sauce, mozzarella, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and torn basil. Repeat the layers until the eggplant is used, changing the direction of the slices between layers if helpful for an even structure.
06
Finish with tomato sauce and a generous layer of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, adding only a little mozzarella on top so the surface browns rather than turns watery. Bake at 180 C until the parmigiana is bubbling at the edges and lightly golden on top.
⏱ 30 min
07
Let the dish rest before cutting so the layers settle and the cheese stops running. Finish with fresh basil and serve warm or at room temperature as a substantial vegetable main, ideally with bread or a simple green salad.
⏱ 15 min