RECIPE : EGGPLANT PARMESAN by MARCELLA HAZAN

Next to spaghetti with tomato sauce, this may well have been, for a certain generation or two, the most familiar of Italian dishes. Perhaps some cooks find it too commonplace to attract their serious attention, but at home I have never stopped making it. I am pleased to see eggplant Parmesan continuing to appear in Italy, not just in pizza parlors but in fancy restaurants. No dish has ever been devised that tastes more satisfyingly of summer, and its popularity will no doubt endure long after many of the newer arrivals on the Italian food scene have had their day.

What You'll Need: Large colander Large skillet Oven-to-table baking dish, approximately 11 x 7 inches, or the equivalent 3 pounds eggplant Salt Vegetable oil Flour for dredging 2 cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, well drained and chopped coarse* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ¾ pound mozzarella, preferably buffalo mozzarella (mozzarella di bufala) 8 to 10 leaves of fresh basil ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Butter for greasing baking dish

1. Cut off the spiky top and peel the eggplant. If you are using the young, thin Italian variety, sometimes called “baby eggplant,” you can omit peeling.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into slices about ⅜-inch thick.

Stand one layer of slices upright against the inside of a colander and sprinkle with salt. Stand another layer of slices against the first and sprinkle it with salt. Repeat until you have salted all the eggplant slices.

Set the colander in a dish or pan to collect the drippings and let the eggplant “steep” for 30 minutes or more.

Before proceeding, pat each slice thoroughly with a paper towel.

2. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to reach a depth of 1½ inches. Heat over high until the oil is hot. When you have wiped the eggplant, test the oil by dipping the end of one of the slices into it. If the oil sizzles, it’s ready.

Dredge the eggplant slices in flour, coating both sides. Coat only as many slices as will fit in the skillet at one time, without overlapping. Cook to a golden brown color on one side, then turn to brown the other side. Do not turn them more than once. When both sides are done, use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer eggplant slices to a cooling rack or a platter lined with paper towels to drain.

Repeat the procedure until all the eggplant is done.

3. Put the tomatoes and olive oil in another skillet. Add salt to taste and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the tomato mixture is reduced by half.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. Cut the mozzarella into the thinnest possible slices.

Wash the basil and tear each leaf into pieces.

6. Grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish with butter. Line the bottom of the dish with a single layer of fried eggplant slices. Spread some of the cooked tomatoes over the eggplant. Cover with a layer of mozzarella slices, sprinkle liberally with grated Parmesan, and distribute a few pieces of basil of the cheese. Repeat the procedure, ending with a layer of fried eggplant. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, and place the dish in the upper third of the preheated oven.

7. Bake for 35 minutes,

Occasionally eggplant will produce more liquid than is desirable for this dish. After 20 minutes, check this by pressing down on the layered eggplant with the back of a spoon. Use a turkey baster to draw off any excess liquid. Then bake for another 15 minutes.

Allow the dish to settle for several minutes before bringing it to the table.

Serves 6

Prepare=Ahead Note: Eggplant Parmesan tastes best shortly after it has been made, but if you must, you can prepare it several hours or as much as 2 to 3 days in advance. When it is cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Reheat it on the top-most rack of a preheated 400-degree oven.

*Marcella Hazan calls for 2 cups of chopped tomatoes in Eggplant Parmesan, but I like to have a little extra on hand in case they get cooked down too much. Using the well-drained and chopped contents of a 28-ounce can of tomatoes and a teaspoon more olive oil will provide a bit extra.