"PRODUCE PETE" NAPOLITANO

Did you know that New Jersey grows about 66 percent of the world’s eggplants?

It’s true! The majority of eggplant production is located in South Jersey, especially Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Atlantic counties, and smaller production sites are also located in Monmouth and Burlington counties.

Production is mainly for wholesale shipment to the eastern U.S. and Canada, depending on the time of year. A small volume of eggplants is produced in the northern part of the state for roadside stands and farmers markets.

Eggplants are harvested by hand one to two times a week depending on temperature. Because they need well-drained, sandy-loam soil to grow, New Jersey offers the perfect conditions for this purple plant.

Among others, Ferrari Farms in South Jersey is a huge eggplant grower and a friend, and his eggplants in the field are a beautiful sight.

When I was a young man running our produce store in Bergenfield, I would buy from my local farmers all summer long; I remember getting fresh peppers and eggplants picked that day at Binaghi Farm in Old Tappan, as well as at Smith Farms just over the border in New City, New York.

Farmers like Wally Smith and Ronnie Binaghi were more than business partners to me and my family —they were friends and felt more like extended family.

Fresh Jersey produce right off the farm is a treat that everyone should experience, so please support your local farmer, farm stand and local farmers markets all summer long.

Ever since I was 4 selling produce off the back of my father’s truck, I’ve understood that the farmer is the backbone of America. Although my childhood was hard and my family worked seven days a week, I wouldn’t have traded my life growing up for anything; looking back, they were truly the best years of my life.

About eggplants

Eggplants got their name because they used to come in only one color — white — and they looked like eggs hanging from the plant. Because they tended to bruise easily during shipment, hybridizers began developing eggplants that would not scar and, in the process, widened the variety.

A member of the nightshade family, eggplants produce beautiful star-shaped, blue-violet flowers early in the growing season; the eggplant is the berry that forms after the flower drops. The most commonly-available eggplant is a deep shade of purple that’s almost black and ranges in size anywhere from 4 ounces to 11/ 2 pounds.

The original white eggplant is actually quite trendy now — it’s generally smaller than the purple variety and is also more expensive because it’s not as widely cultivated.

Baby or Italian eggplants have long been popular on the East Coast and are widely available from July to September. In sunnier climates, they’re available year-round, but supplies may be limited. Other varieties are generally available throughout the year.

Selection and storage

Eggplants can be round, oval or pear-shaped and may be white, purple or striped in color with a flesh that’s firm and creamy white with a lot of edible white seeds in the center. Baby or Italian eggplants are smaller, with a thinner skin.

When choosing an eggplant, look for firm, shiny fruit that’s heavy for its size (if it’s large but feels light, it will be pulpy). The top should be green and fresh-looking; a green cap with little spikes around the stem indicates that the eggplant is fresh.

Next, look at the blossom end. If it has a round mark, it’s a male, and if the mark is oval (slightly elongated), it’s a female. Females are firmer with fewer seeds, and the fewer seeds an eggplant has, the less bitter it will be.

Finally, if you press the flesh gently with your thumb and it leaves an indentation, pass that eggplant by. Unless you’re making gumbroit — a old-style ratatouille-like dish made with eggplant, squash, tomatoes and other vegetables — the eggplant should be firm, with no wrinkling or soft spots.

If it’s the purple variety, it should be smooth and shiny, not dull.

Store at room temperatures on the cool side, or wrap loosely and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. A firm eggplant will keep for several days.

Preparation

Eggplant has a slightly bitter taste, especially when mature. To get rid of that, peel the eggplant (the skin is likely to be both bitter and a little tough), then slice it, sprinkle it with salt, and allow it to drain in a colander for up to half an hour. In addition to purging the bitter juices, salting eggplant also helps keep it from absorbing oil when you sauté or fry it.

You can bread and fry eggplant or use it in dozens of vegetable dishes. Two of my favorites are my wife Bette’s eggplant rollatini with tomato sauce and her eggplant parmigiana, which she makes using alternating layers of eggplant and zucchini. Roll up your sleeves and dig into her recipe for this hearty dish, which incorporates two of New Jersey’s best homegrown products!

For more information, visit www.producepete.com.

New Jersey’s own “Produce Pete” Napolitano is a fruit and vegetable expert, author and TV personality who can be seen every Saturday morning on NBC’s “Weekend Today.”

Susan Bloom contributed to this article.

BETTY’S EXCELLENT EGGPLANT

AND ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggplants

2 large zucchini

Egg and milk mixture for coating vegetables slices

Oil for frying

Bread crumbs

Salt to taste

1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/ 2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Prepared tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

Cut unpeeled eggplant and zucchini into slices about 1/ 4 inch thick. Dip eggplant into egg and milk mixture, then into bread crumbs. In a large frying pan, heat oil until very hot and fry eggplant until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Fry zucchini as is, without adding bread crumbs. In a large baking pan, place sauce on bottom of pan to cover and follow with a layer of eggplant slices, sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, zucchini, a pinch of salt, and then repeat these layers, ending with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.