Versatile and refined
Parmigiana alla Nonna
Parmigiana alla Nonna is a vegetarian dish from the south of Italy. It is traditionally served with a side of ciabatta or butter rice – bellissima!
Ingredients
For the parmigiana:
2 aubergines (large) 1 courgette (small)
Flour for dusting the aubergine and courgette discs
Salt, pepper
2 eggs
Olive oil (for frying)
1 or preferably 2 balls of mozzarella, cut into slices
2 cups of grated parmesan
12 thin slices of mortadella
For the sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion (small)
2 tins of peeled tomatoes
4 fresh basil leaves, torn
3 garlic cloves
Salt, pepper
Method
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Step 1
For the sauce, start by finely chopping the onion. Add to a pan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic. Once the onion has become transparent, add in the tinned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, stir and simmer over a low heat for around 30 minutes. Tear the basil leaves and fold them in. Put the sauce for the parmigiana to one side. -
Step 2
For the parmigiana, slice the aubergines and courgette into 4 mm-thick discs. Add salt then place in a sieve so the water can drain away. Leave to rest for approx. 30 minutes. -
Step 3
Pat the aubergine and courgette dry with kitchen roll and lightly dust with flour. Beat the eggs and dip the aubergine and courgette into the beaten egg. Fry the discs in a pan with enough olive oil so that they’re afloat. Once they have turned golden, take them out of the oil and dab away any excess with kitchen roll. -
Step 4
Take a deep oven dish and spread the base with a generous layer of the tomato sauce you put to one side. Create a layer of the fried aubergine and courgette that covers the entire base of the dish. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over each aubergine and courgette disc and sprinkle with parmesan and chunks of mozzarella. Cover the whole surface with a layer of mortadella. -
Step 5
Repeat the process until you reach the top of the oven dish. Season again with pepper if desired. -
Step 6
The final layer of aubergine and courgette should be covered with a generous layer of tomato sauce and parmesan, then with full slices of mozzarella.
Bake in the oven at 200°C for.
Natalie Zischler
This dish is just unbelievably tasty. It makes me think of holidays in southern Italy. Of lightness and sunshine.
My role at STAR®
As a project manager in print and non-print at the Berlin site, I work with customers to create and publish beautifully colourful products that are just good fun.