Eggplant alla Pizzaiola

Name: Eggplant alla Pizzaiola
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Eggplant 1; Tomato purée 1.67 cups; Mozzarella cheese 3.5 oz; Scamorza (provola) cheese 3.5 oz; Sun-dried tomatoes in oil to taste; Breadcrumbs to taste; Oregano dry to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Lulù Gargari

Eggplant alla Pizzaiola is a baked vegetarian main built on a single idea: layer raw eggplant slices with mozzarella, scamorza, and abundant tomato sauce, scatter breadcrumbs on top, and bake until everything melds into something deeply satisfying. The two cheeses soften together into a molten, stringy pull, while the breadcrumb topping crisps into a crust that holds its own against all that sauce underneath. It is the kind of dish that earns its place at a weeknight dinner or a relaxed lunch with family without asking much in return.

The assembly is entirely raw — no frying, no pre-cooking of any kind — which makes it considerably less demanding than you might expect from something that lands close to a parmigiana. Scamorza brings a firmer melt and a slightly richer pull than mozzarella alone, and together the two cheeses carry more flavor than the short ingredient list suggests. That contrast between the yielding, saucy interior and the crisp breadcrumb top is what makes each bite feel complete.

How to prepare Eggplant alla Pizzaiola

To prepare the eggplant alla pizzaiola, first cut the eggplants into slices about 1/2 inch thick 1. Also slice the mozzarella 2 and the scamorza. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes in half 3.

In a baking dish with a diameter of 11 inches, drizzle a bit of oil on the bottom 4 and sprinkle the entire surface with breadcrumbs 5. Add about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread it over the base using the back of a spoon 6.

Lay the eggplant slices in the baking dish, slightly overlapping them 7, then cover with the remaining tomato sauce 8. Make sure all the eggplants are well covered with the sauce, including the sides. Drizzle with oil 9.

Salt and pepper to taste 10. At this point, break up the mozzarella over the surface 11, then add the slices of scamorza 12.

Finish with the sun-dried tomatoes 13 and dried oregano 14. Finally, sprinkle with breadcrumbs 15.

Drizzle with a bit of oil 16 and bake in a static oven at 400°F for 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the surface is golden brown 17. Your eggplant alla pizzaiola are ready to be served 18!