White Vegetable and Parmesan Parmigiana

White Parmigiana is a lesser-known variation of the classic eggplant parmigiana. In this version, tomato is not used, resulting in a more delicate dish. The vegetables used can vary; zucchini and eggplant are among the most common. Here is a basic recipe that you can adapt to your preferred vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants or 3 medium zucchinis
• 200 g of mozzarella (or one pizza mozzarella)
• 100 g of grated parmesan
• Flour, as needed for dusting the vegetables
• 3 eggs
• Salt and black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• Fresh basil (optional)
• 100 ml of béchamel sauce (optional for a richer version)

Preparation

1. Wash the vegetables and slice them to about 5 mm thickness. If using eggplants, place the slices in salt for a few minutes to remove bitterness.

2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dip the eggplant or zucchini slices in the beaten egg and then coat them in flour.

3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the vegetable slices until golden. Then lay them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

5. Cut the mozzarella into slices or cubes and set aside.

6. In a baking dish, alternate layers of fried vegetables, mozzarella, grated parmesan, and basil leaves until all the ingredients are used up, finishing with a cheese layer.

7. If you decide to use the béchamel sauce, you can spread a thin layer over each level of vegetables.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the surface is gratinated and golden.

9. Let the parmigiana rest for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

White Parmigiana is a creative variant of the more famous eggplant parmigiana that reflects the versatility of Italian cuisine. That said, each region, and sometimes every family, can make small changes to customize the dish according to tastes and traditions.