| FOOD Marcella Hazan Eggplant Parm

[AFF]

OH! Nice! I've made hundreds of dishes but that's not one I've attempted. I've had it several times at different places...gotta a method you want to share?

I use a very basic recipe by Marcella Hazan in the old cookbook "Classic Italian Cooking". FWIW my wife is Italian and that's the one her dad used.

So, the technique I used has to do with preparation of the eggplant. Most recipes call for salting the eggplant to pull moisture out so it browns up better when you fry it. Kind of like the way you pat meat dry when you want a good crust.

Well, earlier this year I got a large Corsori dehydrator so I figured I'd try getting rid of a lot of the moisture that way. Long story short - it worked beautifully. I also cut the slices a little thicker than I usually do - about an inch and a half - because I wanted a meatier texture. I set dehydrator for 165 and they were perfect after 4 1/2 hours.

FYI - most (all that I've seen) recipes that claim to be Marecella Hazan's always seem to add something that's not in the original - whether it's flour for breading (she doesn't use breading) or fresh basil, or garlic, etc. The only variation I do is I peel the eggplant since my father-in-law peeled it that's the way my wife likes it.

I am unable to find an actual copy of Hazan's original recipe so I just took a picture of it - in case you want to try it. As a bonus the Fried Eggplant method she uses is also included right next to it.

 

[TerryP]

@AFF that's some work, but that sounds great! I'm definitely going to try this...got a dehydrator that'll be perfect.

 

[AFF]

@AFF ...got a dehydrator that'll be perfect.

This is my first time owning a dehydrator and I love it.

When I first got dehydrator I made a lot of jerky. Problem is it is so good that I eat that stuff about as fast as I can make it....so I have to be careful. I've found that pork loin jerky is an excellent (and much less expensive) alternative to beef. Chicken thighs also make excellent jerky.
A little soy, worcestershire, liquid smoke and prague powder and you can jerky damn near anything.

Wife and I have both been trying to eat healthier the past few years so dried apples has replaced popcorn and pretty much every other snack for her show-watching. I mean she REALLY loves those things... LOL. I dehydrate probably 10 to 15 lbs of APPLES a week. Dehydrate at 165 for 6 hours. I use one of those apple peeler/corer machines and top the apple rings with cinnamon. 5 lbs of dried apples will fit into a gallon size ziploc bag.

Do you use yours much? If so, for what?

 

[TerryP]

Do you use yours much? If so, for what?

Literally, the same things. I ran across a recipe a few weeks ago that was a Dr. Pepper/Jalapeno Beef jerky...I think I found it on Pinterest.

When my mom started fighting her cancer years ago I went all organic with her. The apples? A mainstay. (My old Aussie LOVED those!)

Chives. Onions. Garlic. Oregano. Peppers. You name it. All of it comes out of my garden and I dry them...best spice cabinet in the world!