Parmigiana is typically sliced veal (Veal Parmesan) or chicken breast (Chicken Parmesan) which is dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs, breaded, shallow-fried and topped with a marinara sauce (red Sicilian tomato sauce) and mozzarella cheese. It is then usually baked until the cheese is bubbly and brown. ^[1]

The dish is based upon melanzane alla parmigiana (alt. parmigiana di melanzane) or eggplant parmigiana (or eggplant Parmesan), a classic Southern Italian dish. Various meat-based variations have been developed in other countries, usually in areas of Italian immigration. Parmigiana is also used as an adjective in the names of other unrelated dishes from Parma cuisine, such as Trippa alla Parmigiana or "Parma-style tripe".

Contents 1 History 2 Naming 3 International variations 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

While the word "parmigiana" literally means "from Parma", a city in the Emilia Romagna region of Northern Italy, the dish does not derive from Parma cuisine. Eggplants were introduced to Italy through Sicily and the southern region, and its origin is claimed by both Campania and Sicily. The dish consists of sliced eggplant pan fried in oil, layered with tomato sauce and cheese, and baked in an oven. In some versions, the eggplant slices are first dipped in beaten eggs and dredged in flour or breadcrumbs before frying. Some recipes use hard grated cheeses such as Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, while others use softer melting cheeses like Mozzarella or Caciocavallo, or a combination of these.

[edit] Naming

There are several conflicting theories for the origin of the name parmigiana. One common theory, cited in numerous dictionaries such as the OED, attributes the name to the use of Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan cheese). Another theory attributes the name to an alteration of the Sicilian word parmiciana. In La Cucina tradizionale siciliana, Anna Pomar writes:

"This is an ancient Sicilian dish which, in all cookbooks, is erroneously stated as obtaining its name from Parmesan cheese, which is one of the ingredients. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The name "parmigiana" does not derive from that of the cheese but is the Italianization of the Sicilian dialectal word "parmiciana", which refers to the slats of wood which compose the central part of a shutter and overlap in the same manner as the slices of eggplant in the dish." (Translated from Italian)

[edit] International variations

In addition to the many Italian versions, variations of Parmigiana have been developed across the world, most often in countries where large numbers of Italians immigrated. Examples of dishes developed outside of Italy from the original Parmigiana include veal (Veal Parmigiana) or chicken breast (Chicken Parmigiana) dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs, breaded, shallow-fried and topped with a marinara sauce (red Sicilian tomato sauce) and mozzarella. It is then usually baked until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

In the United States and Canada, veal parmigiana or chicken parmigiana is commonly served with a side of or on top of spaghetti. It is also popular as a grinder or sub sandwich. Diced onions or green bell peppers, sautéed or raw, are sometimes added. Parmigiana can also be prepared using other foods as the main ingredient such as Eggplant Parmesan or Meatball Parmesan. Eggplant Parmesan, (also known as melanzane alla parmigiana or parmigiana di melanzane), is a common Italian dish which is known to have actually originated in Sicily.

The parmigiana has become very popular in Australia as a pub dish, and can also contain sliced ham, depending on region. A variation on the dish, popular in home cooking but rare in public eateries, includes sliced tomato instead of the sauce. This dish is often referred to as a parmi, a simple shortening of the name - although in some Australian regions, the dish is referred to as a parma, most likely originating from the Italian meaning of parmigiana.

A similar dish, the Parmo, has developed on Teesside in England.

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Melanzane Parmigiana

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Eggplant Parmesan the way it is done in Catania (Sicily)
• parma.com.au ratings for Australia.