Melanzane Alle Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan)

A Sure Thing Saveur, No. 65, P. 33. Walk into any pizzeria or southern Italian restaurant in America, and one thing you’re sure to find is “eggplant parmigiana,” or eggplant parmesan. This casserole - a succulent combination of fried eggplant slices, fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, basis, and parmesan chees - was likely created in Naples, in Campania, the region where mozzarella was invented and a place where tomatoes and eggplant are ubiquitous. It was introduced into the United States in teh late 19th century or the early 20th by southern Italian immigrants. Other regions of Italy sometimes claim teh dish, and indeed its Italian name, melanzane alla parmigiana, sounds as if it meant eggplant cooked in teh style of Parma - the gastronomical capital of Emilia-Romagna. “Parmigiana”, though, refers not to Parma at all but to the presence in the dish of one of teh city’s most famous products, its eponymous cheese.