Eggplant Parmesan

Cut the eggplants into thin slices, lay them on a cutting board, sprinkle with salt and place the board at a slant for at least 1 hour so that the bitter juices run off.

Meanwhile, put a stewpan on the heat with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and a few basil leaves. Fry gently for 3 or 4 minutes over low heat until the onion is golden. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste; cook for 30 minutes. Put the mixture through a food mill and reserve in a bowl.

Rinse the eggplant slices to remove the salt and dry with paper towels. Coat the eggplant slices with flour. Fry them, in a large skillet in the remaining oil, which should be very hot, until golden.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a baking dish and arrange a layer of the eggplant slices on the bottom. Scatter Parmesan and slices of mozzarella on top. Add some thinly sliced hard-cooked egg and a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce. Cover with a second layer of eggplant slices, top with Parmesan, mozzarella and tomato sauce as before, and continue in this manner until all the ingredients have been used. Cover the last layer with tomato sauce and scatter with a few more basil leaves.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The parmigiana is considered to be perfect when it is just lukewarm, but it can also be served hot or cold.