Egg-Plant is one of my favourited vegetables. Many are the tipical preparation with Egg-Plant, today we are going to prepare Egg-Plant for the “Melanzane Parmigiana” recipe.

the Egg-Plant I am going to use today are “Purple Egg-Plant” looking like a ball this quality is tender and tasty with soft skin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 it could happen, rarely, that Egg-Plant skin is so thin and soft that you can leave it on, but I always prefer to peel the skin of Egg-Plant, this is why I suggest you to go and see: “Peel the Egg-Plant” in the category Preparations; if the Egg-Plant skin remains hard during cooking this will compromize your preparation, so it is better avoid any problem and peel the skin; pay attention: I suggest you to use a base for peeling operation, even though in the picture you see that I am peeling in not-safe way you should do this operation without the danger to cut your fingers..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 after the whole Egg-Plant is peeled, use a big knife with a thin blade to cut in slices; be cautious to not cut yourself please read details in the “Peeling Egg-Plant” in the category Preparations…

 

 

 

 

 

 

did you made the slices? perfect! now we need to take out the water from the Egg-Plant: if we don’t the dish will become too bitter!

there are several methods to dry the Egg-Plant one is to put the slices in a colander…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 making one layer and spreading Marine Salt on top, then….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 make a second layer of sliced Egg-Plant, spread Marine Salt, then a third layer and Salt and so on until you have all the slices with salt in the colander;

The Marine Salt is added because is able to take out water drying the ailments;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we need now to put a plate and a weight on top to gently “squeeze” the water out from the Egg-Plant 

we have already speed this process adding the Marine Salt 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we need a good weight, half pound is enough, let it stay in place for half an hour, the water will drain from the casserole holes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 another method to dry the Egg-Plant is to set the slices on top of a work table like this in marble on my kitchen sink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 on top I put a weight…the drained water goes straight to the sink…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 after I left to drain for at least half an hour the Egg-Plant, I will put the slices on top of my firewood plate, a normal gas or electric oven can be used instead: just set the slices inside an oven pan; or an electric plate, or a fry pan on top of the fire: do not add oil in this process, only pay attention to not let the Egg-Plant cook or worse stick the surface

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I turn  frequently upside down so the slices don’t stick on the hot surface

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the slices will be ready when the are still consistent and just faded; now you can prepare delicious dishes….