Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [234]
3. Put the tomatoes and olive oil in another skillet, turn the heat on to medium high, add salt, stir, and cook the tomato down until it is reduced by half.
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. Cut the mozzarella into the thinnest possible slices. Wash the basil, and tear each leaf into two or more pieces.
6. Smear the bottom and sides of the baking dish with butter. Put in enough fried eggplant slices to line the bottom of the dish in a single layer, spread some of the cooked tomato over them, cover with a layer of mozzarella, sprinkle liberally with grated Parmesan, distribute a few pieces of basil over it, and top with another layer of fried eggplant. Repeat the procedure, ending with a layer of eggplant on top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and place the dish in the upper third of the preheated oven.
7. Occasionally eggplant Parmesan throws off more liquid as it bakes than you want in the pan. Check after it has been in the oven for 20 minutes by pressing down the layered eggplant with the back of a spoon, and draw off any excess liquid you may find. Cook for another 15 minutes, and after taking it out allow it to settle for several minutes before bringing it to the table.
Ahead-of-time note Eggplant Parmesan tastes best shortly after it has been made, but if you must, you can complete it from several hours to 2 or 3 days in advance. Refrigerate under plastic wrap when cool. Warm it up on the topmost rack of a preheated 400° oven.
Breaded Eggplant Cutlets
For 4 to 6 servings
A 1¼- to 1½-pound eggplant
Salt
1 egg
2 cups unflavored bread crumbs, lightly toasted, spread on a plate
Vegetable oil
1. Trim and peel the eggplant, cut it lengthwise into ⅛-inch-thick slices, and steep it in salt, as described.
2. Lightly beat the egg in a deep plate or small bowl.
3. When the eggplant slices have finished steeping, pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Dip each slice in the beaten egg, letting excess egg flow back into the dish, then turn it in the bread crumbs, coating both sides. Press the bread crumbs onto each slice with the flat of your hand until your hand feels dry and the crumbs are sticking firmly to the surface of the eggplant.
4. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come 1½ inches up the sides and turn the heat on to medium high. When you think the oil is quite hot, test it by dipping into it the end of one of the slices. If it sizzles, the oil is ready for frying. Slip as many slices of eggplant into the pan as will fit loosely without overlapping. Cook until the eggplant forms a crisp, golden brown crust on one side, then turn it and do the other side. When both sides are done, use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure until all the eggplant is done. Sprinkle with salt and serve at once.
Eggplant Cubes, Al Funghetto
WHEN YOU SEE it listed on Italian menus as al funghetto, it means that the eggplant is cooked in olive oil with garlic and parsley, in an adaptation of the procedure traditionally associated with the cooking of mushrooms. At first, because eggplant has the structure of a sponge, you will see it soak up most of the oil. You mustn’t be alarmed; as you continue cooking, the heat causes the spongy structure to cave in and release all the oil. Never add oil while cooking; simply make sure you have enough at the start.
For 6 servings
About 3 pounds eggplant
Salt
1 or 2 garlic cloves, lightly mashed with a knife handle and peeled
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley chopped very fine
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Trim and peel the eggplant, and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes in a pasta colander, sprinkle liberally with salt, toss to distribute the salt evenly, and set over a deep dish. Let steep for 1 hour, then take the eggplant pieces out of the colander and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Put the