Parmiggiana di Melanzane

Your Guide in Sharm El Sheikh

Parmiggiana di Melanzane

This month’s Chef Profile is from Chef Stefania Forte from ‘Made in Sud’ the latest Italian restaurant to open in the ‘Old Market’ area.  ‘Made in Sud’ offers traditional Neapolitan and Mediterranean cuisine in a fresh and homely trattoria environment situated on the main road just outside the downtown market area.

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We met Chef Stefania Forte in her restaurant; she explained that she only uses genuine ingredients, partially imported from Italy and fresh produce from the local market. Like many Italian Chef’s she learnt to cook by helping her mother and learnt all the tricks and secrets directly from home.

Stefania has cooked for friends all her life and with their encouragement she decided to share her delicious dishes with the public and opened “Made in Sud”. She explains that Neapolitan cuisine was influenced by Arab, Norman, Spanish and French cultures since all ruled Naples at some point in time.  The influence of these mixed cultures is a unique half-sophisticated, half-folk cuisine. Many Neapolitan recipes are elaborate, take time to prepare and use seasonal produce.

When we asked for one of her recipes, she chose one from her mother’s cookbook, the famous Parmiggiana di Melanzane.

Ingredients ( for 4 persons) :

2 round Eggplants
Flour
2 Eggs
3 tbsp Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano Cheese
Salt & Black Pepper
Frying oil
2 Mozzarella di Buffala
Basil leaves

For the Tomato Sauce:

1 kg Tomatoes
Olive oil
Basil
1 clove of Garlic

Preparation:

  • Cut the Eggplants into 1cm slices and lay them on an oven tray, put them in the sun until the water from the Eggplant has gone.
  • Beat the eggs with Salt, Pepper and the Parmesan Cheese.
  • Dip the slices in the flour and then the egg mixture.
  • Fry them on both sides and put them to one side.
  • Prepare the Tomato Sauce : fry the peeled whole garlic clove in the olive oil for a couple of minutes over a medium heat until the flavor is infused and then remove the clove.
  • Put the peeled and smashed tomatoes in the garlic flavored oil, add the basil and then allow the mixture to simmer.
  • Cut the Mozzarella Cheese to 1 cm slices,
  • Take a deep oven tray and layer the prepared ingredients; starting with the Tomato Sauce, then the eggplant slices, then the grated Parmesan Cheese, the Mozzarella slices and then whole basil leafs, repeat until the tray is full ( at least 3 layers) and finish with the eggplant, mozzarella and basil leaves in a decorative form.
  • Put the tray in the oven for 20 min. on 180 C.
  • Serve by cutting into portions.

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