A few years ago, my good friend Claire discovered that she was allergic to eggplant. That’s almost as tragic as my dear Giuliana’s post-pregnancy onset of intolerance to wine; or Mario’s allergy to mollusks; or Stephanie’s hypersensitivity to eggs. To their credit, my brave friends have learned to deal with their limitations, ghastly as they are. But what should I make of my own son’s volitional dislike of eggplant? Alex is half Sicilian after all and eggplant is one of Sicily’s favorite staple foods! Hard to believe that my son, who – like his sister – is an otherwise adventurous eater across all cuisines, doesn’t like eggplant? Naturally, I immediately blamed his WASP genes for having obliterated his otherwise innate Italian affinity for eggplant and all things Italian. But Alex’s father, as well as his sister Julia, love eggplant! Where did I go wrong? When coaxing failed (although Alex has tried eggplant, but claims not to like it) I conducted an experiment. I made my lasagna, one of Alex’s favorite dishes, with a delicious yet mysteriously meaty sauce (consisting of finely chopped eggplants) which he promptly devoured, asking for seconds. Hmm … so much for predispositions! All this reflecting on one of my favorite vegetables caused me to crave eggplant, so I went into the kitchen and made a small tray of Eggplant Parmigiana. Perfect for today’s cold and rainy weather.
Here is my recipe: 
1 large eggplant cut lengthwise or across in ¼” slices
2 cups fresh tomato sauce, or canned, plain
1 sm-med tomato, finely chopped (for sauce texture)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmigiano & provolone cheese, mixed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten in a deep dish, plus
1/2 cup milk added to egg
1 cup bread crumbs (preferably home made plus
1/3 cup flour, mixed in a plate
1/4 cup olive oil (for sauce) plus extra for frying eggplants
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. fresh or dry oregano
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup freshly grated mixed parmigiano & pecorino, for topping
1/4 cup reserved tomato sauce, for serving
salt & pepper to taste
Salt the eggplant slices and place in a colander to allow their liquid to drain for several hours. In a small saucepan, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil for several minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and mix for a minute or two, then add the tomato sauce and chopped tomato, stirring well over low-to-medium heat. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Taste for seasoning. When sauce is ready, turn off burner, cover pan and set aside. Place the bowl with the egg and milk next to the plate with the breadcrumb and flour mixture. Pat dry the eggplant slices, dip in the egg-milk dish and drag across breadcrumb-flour plate, covering both sides well with mixture. Pour 3″ of olive oil in a hot, large frying pain, and begin sautéing the eggplant slices until golden brown but not fully cooked. Transfer to a plate using several layers of paper towels to absorb the extra oil, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°.
Pour a thin layer of the tomato sauce at the bottom of a medium oven proof dish (see above picture) and arrange the first few eggplant slices in the dish, topping with the shredded mozzarella, plus the provolone / parmigiano combination, and cover with tomato sauce. Repeat by adding the remaining eggplant slices and forming a second and final layer. Top with the remaining cheese mixture and sauce, but set aside at least 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce for serving. Cover dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes. Test for eggplant tenderness with a knife and, if ready, remove dish from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with the reserved tomato sauce, the pecorino / parmigiano cheeses and the chopped basil. Using a metal spatula, cut into desired portions and place in dishes. Serves 4-6, depending upon your appetito.
