Grilled eggplant parmigiana

Why have I waited so long to do this?

Recipe adapted from Giallo Zafferano

time: 30 min preparation + 45 min baking + 10 min cooling

ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants
• 1 l (4 cups) tomato sauce
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil + more for eggplants
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 100 g (3.5 oz) prosciutto, chopped
• 150 g (5 oz) mozzarella, chopped
• 56 g ( 2 oz) Parmesan, grated
• salt, pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry basil

instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 10 min. Pour in tomato sauce, add basil and cook on medium/low heat for 10 min till it thickens some. Add little salt and pepper at the end if needed. 
2. Slice eggplants length-wise about 5mm/.2inch thin. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt on each slice. Wait till you see water drops forming (about 10 min). Wipe them off with a paper towel and repeat the process on the other side. 
3. Now, smudge eggplant pieces with olive oil on both sides. Grill them till strong grill marks appear. 
4. Turn the oven on 180C/355F. Apply a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Arrange grilled eggplant pieces on top. Add bits of mozzarella, prosciutto and Parmesan. Sprinkle with pepper and drizzle with oil (just a bit). Spread tomato sauce on top... then the eggplants...etc. Finish off with a layer of tomato sauce. 
5. Place it in the hot oven for 45 min till there is a thin (tomato) crust on top. Remove from the heat, let it cool for 10 min.

notes

• Julian thought he was eating lasagna; 
• eggplant is soft and juicy; rich but it is not; 
• tasty but mild; basil is not favorite herb so I don't over-use it;
• cooked prosciutto would have been better, but I was out;
• I slice eggplants with my mandolin slicer; it's important to get an even thickness for grilling;
• I occupied a whole kitchen table to salt the eggplants,
• then I stack them up, one on top of the other, smudge a top piece with oil and start another stack of oiled eggplant pieces;
• I used a sandwich-type-of grill but stronger; grilling time was 3-5 minutes for a set of slices;
• eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, I can't ever get enough of it;
• the day after, we ate the leftovers with pasta.