A taste of Naples

SERVES 6 INGREDIENTS

700g sliced eggplant (aubergine), 5mm in thickness plain (all-purpose) flour, to dust 500ml vegetable oil, for frying 1 litre Napoli sauce 300g grated parmesan cheese 500g buffalo ricotta cheese 25 basil leaves 300g fine breadcrumbs 2 balls buffalo mozzarella cheese

METHOD

Lightly salt the sliced eggplant and leave on a wire rack to rest for one hour. Dry the eggplants, then dust evenly with the flour. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large deep saucepan to 175°C. Deep-fry the eggplant until golden, then set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a small amount of Napoli sauce in a terracotta dish. Layer the eggplant, breadcrumbs, Napoli sauce, parmesan, ricotta and basil. Repeat the process twice more. Top with buffalo mozzarella, then cover with baking paper and foil. Place in the oven and cook the parmigiana for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Food of Naples, by Johnny Di Francesco, New Holland Publishers, RRP $45 available from all good bookstores or online. NAPLES is about so much more than pizza! It is a city of beautiful, vibrant contrasts, with restaurants full of a variety of tastes,...