Marcella Hazan’s Eggplant Parmesan
Marcella Hazan’s Eggplant Parmesan is one of the best-known Southern Italian dishes, made with layers of fried eggplant, tomatoes, cheese, and herbs baked together until softened and fully settled.
This version combines elements from two of her recipes, one from The Classic Italian Cookbook and another from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. The eggplant is salted first, then fried until golden before being layered with drained canned tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, and basil or oregano.
Instead of using a heavily cooked tomato sauce, the tomatoes go into the dish more directly after being drained and chopped. As the Eggplant Parmesan bakes, the tomatoes soften into the layers while the mozzarella melts into the eggplant rather than forming a thick layer on top.
The result feels lighter and fresher than many baked Eggplant Parmesan recipes while still keeping the richness that comes from the fried eggplant and parmesan.
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About this Recipe
This version of Eggplant Parmesan sits closer to the Southern Italian style than the heavily sauced restaurant versions many people are used to.
The tomatoes are drained before assembling, which keeps the layers lighter and allows the tomato flavor to stay brighter in the finished dish. Buffalo mozzarella also changes the texture noticeably compared to low-moisture mozzarella, melting more softly into the eggplant as it bakes.
The oregano gives the tomatoes a deeper savory note without overpowering the rest of the dish or covering the flavor of the eggplant itself.
Because the ingredient list is relatively minimal, the cooking process matters quite a bit. The eggplant needs to be fully fried, and the casserole is briefly drained midway through baking before returning to the oven. That extra step helps the layers settle together without becoming overly wet underneath.
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- Canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
- Buffalo mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil or dried oregano
- Flour
- Oil for frying
- Butter
- Salt
Ingredient Notes
1. Canned Tomatoes
The tomatoes are drained before assembling the dish so the layers stay concentrated rather than watery as they bake. After draining, chop them lightly so they spread more evenly between the eggplant slices.
2. Buffalo Mozzarella
Buffalo mozzarella gives the dish a softer texture and lighter feel than low-moisture mozzarella. Cut into thin layers and let any excess liquid drain briefly before assembling.
3. Eggplant
Medium globe eggplants work best here because the slices hold together well during frying and baking. Try to choose eggplants that feel firm and relatively heavy for their size, without large soft spots or wrinkled skin.
The Recipe
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 cups canned peeled tomatoes, drained and cut up
- 1 whole buffalo mozzarella ball, sliced thin (approx. ¾ lb)
- 5 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ tsp dried oregano OR 8-10 fresh basil leaves
- 2½ tbsp butter
- vegetable oil and flour for frying (see Recipe Notes)
- salt
Instructions
- Before beginning, fry your eggplants in flour, as described in Recipe Notes below. Allow them to cool on the paper towel so they are easy to handle during assembly.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Line the bottom and sides of a deep baking dish (approx. 7×11") with butter.
- Place eggplant slices in a layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Top with cut up canned tomatoes.
- Add a pinch of dried oregano (or torn basil leaves) and salt, then add a layer of mozzarella and some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Continue with these layers until you have used up the ingredients. The top layer of the dish should be eggplant.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on the top and dot with small amounts of butter.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and press the back of a wooden spoon to the dish, checking for excess moisture. If there is, drain it off with the spoon and return the dish to the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the dish to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Peel the eggplant and thinly slice it lengthwise into pieces no thicker than 1/2″.
- Place the slices upright in a colander with a dish underneath to catch the drippings. Sprinkle with salt and allow it to stand at least 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, spread them on a paper towel to remove any additional liquid.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet, using enough to come up 3/4″ on the side.
- Test the heat of the oil with an end of the eggplant to see if it sizzles.
- If it is ready, dredge only the slices that will be fried immediately (2-3) in flour on both sides and place them into the oil.
- Cook to golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other. I love using these metal tweezer tongs to stay safely away from the hot oil.
- When both sides are done, carefully remove them and place them on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack to drain.
- Repeat the process until all of the eggplant has been fried.
- Allow to cool before building the Eggplant Parmesan layers.
Cooking Tip: Control the Moisture Early
Most of the texture of Eggplant Parmesan is decided before the baking dish ever goes into the oven.
Salt the eggplant long enough to draw out excess moisture, drain the tomatoes thoroughly, and let the fried eggplant rest briefly before layering everything together.
About halfway through baking, carefully drain off any excess liquid that has collected in the dish before returning it to the oven to finish cooking. That final stretch helps the layers settle further while keeping the finished Eggplant Parmesan from becoming watery underneath.
Serve With
- A simple arugula salad with lemon and olive oil
- Crusty Italian bread
- A small fennel and parmesan salad
- Simple green salad
Wine Pairing: Chianti Classico
Chianti is a natural pairing for Eggplant Parmesan because the acidity works closely with the tomatoes while the savory character of the wine fits the fried eggplant and parmesan.
In this version especially, the drained tomatoes and lighter layers of buffalo mozzarella keep the dish from feeling overly heavy, which allows the brighter side of Chianti to come through more clearly alongside the oregano and browned edges of the eggplant.
The wine also helps balance the richness that comes from frying, keeping the dish from feeling too dense as the layers soften together in the oven.
Serve slightly below room temperature.
To explore more Chianti styles and pairing ideas, visit the full guide below.
If you usually think of Eggplant Parmesan as overly heavy, overly sauced, or buried under thick layers of cheese, this version feels noticeably different.
The drained tomatoes keep the layers from becoming overly wet or soggy, while the buffalo mozzarella softens more gently into the eggplant as the dish bakes. The oregano also gives the tomatoes a slightly deeper savory flavor without taking over the rest of the dish.
It also holds up particularly well for leftovers, since the layers continue settling together as it rests and cools.
For the tools and ingredients used here, visit the shop page.
If you liked this recipe, you might also like:
- Chicken Cacciatore, New Version
- Red and Yellow Bell Pepper Sauce with Sausage for Pasta
- Marcella Hazan’s 3-Ingredient Tomato Sauce
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