Eggplant Parmigiana, protagonist of the summer on the table, is a historic dish of Italian cuisine, one of the best known in the world. It is said to have been invented by Giacomo Corrado, an Apulian cook in the service of important aristocratic families of Naples in the mid-700th century. Since then, there have been many variations on how to make it, up to what is now commonly prepared in two versions. The one with fried aubergines and the lighter baked one.
Gian Marco Carli, brilliant and concrete chef, as well as patron of the "il Principe" restaurant in Pompeii, with a long history behind it, Michelin star for 15 years, who marries Neapolitan culture and tradition reinterpreted in a modern key, offers an extraordinary reinterpretation (but his Genovese super is also a must: you won't forget it).
The basis of the chef's new gastronomic project is conceived according to modern techniques. His is contained in a synthesis that combines an intelligent reuse of its tradition with interesting innovative ideas.
Gian Marco Carli says that the idea for the dish comes from the desire to highlight the vegetable and its notes.
There is a popular saying that says: the true dreamer is the one who, looking at an aubergine, sees a parmesan ... Let's hear his speech.
“The dish – says the Chef – is also found on the menu a bit for fun, one day I found a phrase on social media that said: The true dreamer is the one who, looking at an aubergine, sees a parmigiana …
As a dreamer which I consider myself ... and as a great admirer of eggplant parmigiana, I set my imagination in motion and this idea came up: why don't we pay homage to the eggplant in its natural beauty?
Hence the desire to put the vegetable note of the dish in the foreground, which often takes a back seat in the traditional preparation. That's why a whole aubergine, respected in its being so traditional and so international ... The Parmigiana di melanzane in my opinion!”
And here are the instructions for the recipe for an aubergine … alla Principe:
Ingredients for people 4
500 g of long aubergines
4 medium size aubergines of 13/14 cm
500 g of fiordilatte mozzarella
1.5 kg of peeled San Marzano tomatoes
200 g of panko bread
2 medium eggs
2 cloves of garlic
2 bundles of basil
200 g of Parmigiano Reggiano aged 36 months
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper as needed
150 00 grams of flour
2 liter of sunflower oil
Method :
Let's start with the classic aubergine parmigiana, peel the 500 g of aubergines and cut into ½ centimeter thick slices, keeping the aubergine peel for a later step. At this point place the slices on an oven tray and salt lightly to facilitate the release of the vegetation water. After half an hour squeeze the aubergines well and set aside.
Cook the tomato with two cloves of poached garlic, a little oil and a few basil leaves for 5 minutes from the boil, add salt, add a drizzle of raw oil and pass through a vegetable mill.
Chop the mozzarella.
Pour the two liters of oil into a saucepan and bring to a temperature of 170°, fry the aubergines until golden brown, drain on absorbent paper.
In a baking dish, cover the bottom with the tomato sauce and start making the first layer of aubergines, mozzarella, parmesan and basil, repeat the operation until you have 4 layers. (arrange the aubergines in opposite directions, vertical and horizontal)
Bake at 180° for 22 min and cool.
Heat the oil to 145°, take the medium aubergines that we have left whole, pierce them with a toothpick (at least 15/20 small holes) and cook them covered with a lid for 4 minutes. (pay close attention that the thermal shock can make the aubergines explode) after the cooking time drain on absorbent paper.
Once cooled, peel the aubergines, split them in two and remove the inner part full of seeds with the help of a spoon, being careful not to break them and place in the fridge to firm up.
With the help of a kitchen cutter, blend the parmigiana that we previously cooked until obtaining a homogeneous and compact mixture.
In the meantime, combine all the skins of the previously peeled aubergines and bake them at 120° for 40 minutes until they are dehydrated. Cool and blend until obtaining a powder that we will mix with the panko bread.
Take the peeled aubergines back from the fridge, fill them with the aubergine parmesan ointment, a strip of mozzarella and some parmesan, close the aubergine and shape it until it returns to its original shape.
Once the operation is complete, dip the flour into the beaten egg and then into the mix of panko bread and aubergine powder. Fry at 165° for 3 min
Introduction
In a deep dish, cover the bottom with the tomato sauce, a few leaves of fresh basil, a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and place the aubergine on top.
