Eggplant Parmesan (Parmigiana di melanzane), is a truly classic Italian dish that has become immensely popular around the world, even spawning other versions of "Parmesan"-style dishes that don't really exist in Italy (or at least not under this name), such as Chicken Parmesan, Veal Parmesan, etc. It is, however, sometimes made with zucchini in place of eggplant in Italy: Parmigiana di zucchine.

In spite of the name, which means "Parma-style Eggplant," it originates in Naples, not the Emilia-Romagna town of Parma. Presumably, it refers to the use of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in the dish, together with the more typically Neapolitan mozzarella cheese. Use the freshest and most flavorful eggplants you can find, though this dish will still be fantastic with winter eggplant, and use buffalo mozzarella, if possible, which is incredibly tender and far more flavorful than cow's milk mozzarella.

The Italian-American version is usually breaded before frying, but the traditional Italian version is not. As a result, it's not only lighter and faster and easier to prepare, but you can really taste the rich eggplant flavor — it's not masked by breading or too much rubbery cheese. If you are a fan of eggplant, then you may prefer this recipe. If you want to make it even lighter, you could grill or bake the eggplant slices instead of frying them.

While eggplant parmesan is usually served over pasta (often spaghetti) in the U.S., that's not the tradition in Italy. However, the sauce made with this dish tastes absolutely wonderful over pasta, and the pasta helps to cut the richness/saltiness so that the balance is just perfect.

This is an incredibly comforting dish that makes a hearty side (contorno) or a satisfying meatless/vegetarian main, together with a salad and some crusty Italian bread. Serve with a full-bodied Merlot or Chianti.