Eggplants alla pizzaiola

• 1 hour prepare • 50 minutes to cook • Serves 4

Do not call me parmigiana.

 

Eggplants alla pizzaiola is a healthy and tasty preparation that features tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and oregano.

Tomato, garlic and oregano are the main ingredients of all the preparations called alla pizzaiola, as well as the ingredients of pizza Marinara, one of the most popular Neapolitan pizzas. This is indeed the origin of the name. 

Very easy to prepare, alla pizzaiola recipes are widespread throughout Italy because the sauce used for it can then be recycled to season pasta, too. 

This eggplant-based version is an appetizer dish, to be prepared in a pan. 

No oven involved, to properly celebrate summer climate!

Here are ingredients for a 4-serving recipe:

2 eggplants
400 g tomato passata
1 clove garlic
10 basil leaves
100 g grated Parmesan cheese
125 g buffalo mozzarella
1 teaspoon sugar
dry oregano
EVO oil
salt

1. Prepare eggplants the same way as in Pasta alla Norma (check the recipe here): wash and dry them, then cut off their peduncle. Peel eggplants “half-way”, and slice them longitudinally about half a centimetre thick
2. Place eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle them with cooking salt. Top with an upturned plate and place a weight above it. Let them sit for 1 hour
3. When this time has passed, carefully rinse the eggplants and place them to dry well on a clean cloth
4. Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat
5. Lay the slices on a large baking sheet or tray and brush one side with olive oil. Then lay the slices oiled-side-down on the grill
6. Cook until grill marks appear about 5 minutes. Turn the slices over, and cook until grill marks appear on the other side
7. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels and sprinkle with salt
8. Meanwhile, pour 4 tablespoons of EVO oil in a pan with 1 clove of garlic; when the clove has colored a little, add the tomato passata, sugar, basil and salt and cook over low heat for 15 minutes more, until the tomato sauce thickens
9. Cut mozzarella into thin slices and place it in a colander to drain
10. In a pan, spread a few tablespoons of tomato sauce on the bottom. Then, arrange 4 large eggplant slices on top, placing them as close as possible. Over each slice, spread 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce and place one slice of mozzarella. Then, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Arrange other 4 slices of eggplant on top, placing them perpendicular to the slices below. Repeat with tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Go on with the layering until all the ingredients are used
11. Cook the eggplants alla pizzaiola few minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve warm

Nutrition Facts are detailed in the table below. Data is provided per serving.