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09/29/2016 12:01 AMFor years, I’ve enjoyed some great Italian food, compliments of my neighbors. Margaret, who lives up the street, in particular is known for her amazing eggplant parm. Her eggplant is thin, just the right amount of crispy, and the other ingredients are layered in perfect harmony. Debra, who lives down at the other end of the avenue, also is an amazing cook, and she hails from East Haven (or ’Staven, as she says), so she knows of what she speaks when it comes to all food Italian.
I, on the other hand, still have a lot to learn. My Italian friends have all tried, to no avail, to get me to say “mozzarella” the right way, for example. I have yet to get the pronunciation, or the accompanying hand gesture, down just right.
And so it was with some trepidation that I recently took a crack at eggplant parm myself. I was inspired by an ever-growing mound of eggplant on my kitchen table, and a recipe from The New York Times by Sam Sifton called The Best Fried-Eggplant Sandwich (visit cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018088-the-best-fried-eggplant-sandwich for the original recipe).
The fried eggplant not only was good in the final dish, it also was delicious on its own, with a sprinkle of the parm on top, with roasted tomato pesto on top, or other toppings.
It’s a little bit labor intensive, but not so much as the process called for in Margaret’s recipe. Hers remains the true gold standard on the avenue where we live. In the meantime, I’m pretty happy with this one. If you try it, let me know what you think by writing me at p.mcnerney@shorepublishing.com, or Shore Publishing, 724 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443. If you have an eggplant recipe you like better, include it, and we’ll share it with our readers.
Eggplant Parm With Eggplant à la Sifton
Adapted from The Best Friend-Eggplant Sandwich, Sam Sifton, The New York Times
2 smallish Italian eggplants, roughly 1 ½ pounds total
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiana Reggiano
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
Any good marinara sauce (I use Rao’s if I don’t have time to make my own)
A good sized chunk of real-deal Parmigiana Reggiano
• Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with paper towels. Trim stem end from eggplants, then peel and discard skin. Using a knife or a mandoline, slice the eggplant lengthwise into thin slabs. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides of eggplant with salt. Let stand for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Pat eggplant dry with paper towels, and stack on a plate.
• Discard the wet paper towels, and replace them in the sheet pan with more, then place a wire rack on top. In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmery. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slabs until just tender, approximately 30 to 40 seconds per side. Transfer fried eggplant to rack to drain. Remove skillet from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and grated parm. Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat until the oil is hot again.
• Working in batches, dip drained eggplant into egg batter, then fry in oil until puffed, lightly golden and cooked through, approximately 2 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer fried eggplant to rack to drain. You can cook the eggplant in advance of assembling sandwiches. Covered, it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, though the eggplant is best at room temperature.
• Assemble final dish by layering the eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, and sprinkle parm on top. Bake at 350 degrees until it’s bubbly and hot. Let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, so that the mozz is no longer molten. Grate fresh parm on top just before serving. Serve with a salad, good bread, and a glass of wine.