frying Chinese eggplant parmigiano

I rarely make this recipe now that I’ve entered “middle age” with all of the inherent health “issues.” However, once in a while it’s fun to be a bit naughty and Hegui loves the dish. When I was a kid, my mother would regularly make it, or the meaty versions with chicken or veal, for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving. I’ve always loved it despite, or perhaps because of, its anti-weight-control qualities.

Fortunately our neighbor A. sort of gave us a little push to trot out this tried-and-true family classic. You see, her brother apparently has a huge yard somewhere in the East Bay where he grows numerous fruits and vegetables. A. just happened to leave a large bag of home grown Chinese eggplant at our doorstep the other day. So there you have it! Fate.

I’ve never made this with that kind of eggplant but the taste is more or less the same. I’ve improvised with Italian eggplant for my Szechuan recipe before. That always works well. So why not do the same here?

preparing eggplant for frying

There are several steps involved in making this recipe though you could prepare everything ahead of time and just pop it in the oven to warm later in the day or even the next. It’s also fantastic to prepare ahead of time and bring it to a potluck. You can bake it at your host’s place to the delight of all. Leftovers, if you have any, taste great the following day too.

Eggplant Parmigiano

2 large Italian eggplants or equivalent by weight with Chinese or Japanese eggplants
Kosher salt
3 eggs
3 tbsp. plus more grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. dried basil
Fresh black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
6 slices provolone cheese

How to:

Clean and slice eggplant into ¼ to 1/3 inch slices along the long axis of each fruit. Toss in colander with several tablespoons Kosher salt. Allow to drain for about 45 minutes to remove some of the bitter juices from eggplant. While eggplant drain, beat eggs with 3 tbsp. Parmigiano Reggiano and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, add breadcrumbs, cayenne, basil, several turns from a mill of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix dry ingredients with a fork.

finished eggplant parmigiano with basil pesto pasta

When eggplant are done draining, rinse thoroughly with water and pat dry. Heat vegetable oil with added splash of olive oil (for added flavor) on high.

To prepare eggplant for frying, dip first in egg mixture then in dry mixture to completely cover with crumbs. Fry in oil for about three to five minutes on a side. Turn to finish frying (cooking times may vary. Test yours by cutting one piece in half to check for doneness.) Remove from oil to large platter covered with paper towels to drain.

2006 A. Rafanelli zin

Set oven to 350F. In a large baking dish, arrange fried eggplant. Spread provolone slices over fried eggplant. Cover with several ladles full of tomato sauce—not so much to drown the eggplant as just to moisten them in the middle. I made this from my Roman tomato sauce recipe which I added mushrooms to while preparing the sauce. Reserve some sauce for table service in a small pitcher. Sprinkle with a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano and bake for about 20 minutes to warm through and melt cheeses.

Serve with salad and Italian bread; or if you’re feeling extra decadent, with basil pesto pasta, which is what we did. We drank a bottle of A. Rafanelli Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County with this meal. The wine went perfectly! It had a dark brooding color and rich taste with caramel notes. Mmmm!

Be sure to go to the gym the day after you eat this delicious high calorie masterpiece! Cheers!

enjoying the meal with gusto!