Cotolette di melanzane (crumbed eggplant/aubergine)
- 700g eggplant (aubergine) – see note
- 100g cornflour (corn starch)
- 200g dried breadcrumbs
- 30g Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
- 2 eggs
- Canola oil for frying
- Sea salt
Slice the eggplant (aubergine) into 1cm thick rounds – see note.
Place cornflour (corn starch) in a bowl. In a separate bowl, place the breadcrumbs, parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano. Toss to combine. Use a fork to lightly whisk the eggs in a separate shallow bowl.
Coat 1 eggplant round in cornflour, shaking off any excess. Dip the cornflour coated eggplant in the egg mixture, then coat in breadcrumbs. Place the cotoletta di melanzane (crumbed eggplant) onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
Pour enough canola oil into a large frying pan to generously cover the base. Heat the frying pan over medium heat. Cook the cotolette di melanzane, in batches, until golden (approximately 3-4 minutes on each side). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel – Buon appetito.
Note: In Italy, there are excellent varieties of melanzane (eggplant/aubergine) that are rounded and a vibrant purple colour such as ‘Rosa Bianca’, ‘Violetta di Firenze’, ‘Bianca Sfumata di Rosa’, and ‘Prosperosa’. These varieties have a more delicate flavour and are not bitter. In Australia, I choose Graffiti eggplant (also known as Sicilian eggplant) – they are less seedy and also not bitter. The Italian varieties above and Graffiti eggplant do not need to be salted and rinsed before cooking.
If you are using a black-skinned eggplant, however, you will need to salt the eggplant. To do this, slice the eggplant as per step 1, sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and layer in a colander. Set aside for 20 minutes to maximum of 1 hour. Rinse under cold water, drain and use paper towel to pat dry.
Delicious way to make melanzane go futher. They're expensive where I live. Great recipe.
Amazing dish
