Melanzane alla Campania, or eggplant prepared in the style of the Campania region of Italy, is a lighter way of preparing eggplant than traditonal eggplant parmesan. It's also quick and easy to prepare, taking about an hour from start to finish.
The recipe serves 4 as an appetizer, or 2 as an entree. Consider accompanying the eggplant with a dark green vegetable, such as broccoli rabe.
Baked eggplant ingredients:
- 2 eggplants, about 1/2 pound each
- Kosher salt
- 1- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned dried bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated paremesan reggiano cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Baked eggplant recipe:
- Wash the eggplants, trim the stems, and slice each in half lengthwise.
- Make crosshatch slashes about 1 inch deep in the eggplant flesh on the cut sides. Cut about 1 inch deep, but be careful not to cut through the skin.
- Sprinkle the cut flesh with kosher salt, and place the eggplant halves upside down in a colander.
- Allow the eggplant to drain in the colander for about 30 minutes. Rinse the salt off, and pat the halves dry with a paper towl.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spray an 8 by 8 pan with nonstick cooking spray, and place the eggplant halves in the pan, skin side down.
- Combine the garlic, bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, and olive oil in a food processor, and pulse until combined.
- Place 1/4 of the mixture on each eggplant half, pressing it into the cuts you made earlier.
- Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over each half.
- Bake until tender, about 20 minutes
While the recipe is delicious as is, you can top the eggplant with additional cheese before baking, and serve it with tomato sauce on the side, if you'd like a richer dish.
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