Vegan-Friendly Ingredients for Traditional Eggplant Parmigiana
Table of Contents
Eggplant Parmigiana (also known as Melanzane alla Parmigiana or simply Parmigiana) is a dish that features fried eggplant, baked with a coating of tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and cheese. The history of this recipe isn’t completely clear, making it difficult to definitively trace its geographical origins. The eggplant is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family, native to the Indian subcontinent or southern China; it was probably introduced to Europe during the late Middle Ages by the Arabs, first in Spain and then in Sicily, before spreading throughout Southern Italy. Hence, the invention of the dish is often attributed to the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily, where it initially gained popularity.
In this vegan version of the recipe, we’ll use plant-based grated cheese and unsweetened soy milk in place of Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg of eggplants 800 g of tomato passata 500 g of unsweetened soy milk 40 g of all-purpose flour 40 g of extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast 2 tablespoons of plant-based grated cheese 1 clove of garlic 1 tablespoon of oregano Nutmeg Salt and pepper
TOOLS
Grill
20 x 30 cm baking dish
HOW TO PREPARE VEGAN EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA
- Heat a splash of oil in a non-stick pot and sauté the garlic clove until it’s lightly golden. Add the tomato passata, season with oregano, adjust with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for at least twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, slice the eggplants to at least half a centimeter thick and grill them on a hot grill, brushing them with a splash of oil and a pinch of salt. As they’re done, set them aside on a plate and continue with the rest.
- Pour the flour and oil into a small pot and mix well with a wooden spoon. Put it on the stove and cook the roux for a couple of minutes, then gradually pour in the hot soy milk, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon to incorporate it well without leaving lumps. Once all the soy milk is added, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and nutritional yeast, and bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat.
- Spread a spoonful of tomato sauce and a spoonful of bechamel on the base of the baking dish, then arrange a layer of eggplants. Cover with a thin layer of bechamel and a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce, then form another layer of eggplants and continue layering until all the ingredients are used up.
- Complete the final layer with the plant-based grated cheese and bake the parmigiana in a conventional oven at 200°C for 20-25 minutes, until the surface is lightly golden. Remove the parmigiana from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving it in slices.
Topics: Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe, How to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmigiana, Italian Vegan Recipes, Healthy Plant-Based Italian Dishes, Vegan Cheese in Italian Cuisine, Cooking with Soy Milk, Grilled Eggplant Recipes, Vegan Alternatives for Italian Classics, Healthy and Delicious Vegan Meals, Traditional Italian Food Turned Vegan
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