Eggplant Parmigiana Risotto

The flavors of Parmigiana di Melanzane — tomato, fried eggplant, Parmigiano, mozzarella, and basil — reimagined as a risotto, with crisp golden eggplant kept separate until the end for that essential creamy-versus-crisp contrast.

Amount	Ingredient
11¼ oz (320 g)	Carnaroli rice
1 cup (250 g)	tomato passata
3¾ cups (900 ml)	light vegetable stock, kept hot
⅓ cup (80 ml)	dry white wine
1½ oz (40 g)	shallot, finely minced
1 tbsp (15 ml)	extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (70 g)	Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
2¾ tbsp (40 g)	unsalted butter, cold and diced
3½ oz (100 g)	fiordilatte mozzarella, drained and diced into 10 mm cubes
5 g	fresh basil leaves, torn
¾ tsp (4 g)	fine sea salt, plus more as needed
¼ tsp (1 g)	black pepper, freshly ground
	For the eggplant
10½ oz (300 g)	eggplant, diced into 15 mm cubes
2 cups (500 ml)	peanut or sunflower oil, for frying
¾ tsp (3 g)	fine sea salt
	For finishing
10 g	Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
5 g	fresh basil leaves
2 tsp (10 ml)	extra-virgin olive oil

This risotto takes the soul of the classic Parmigiana and turns it into something new: a tomato risotto where the fried eggplant is folded in only at the end — two-thirds into the rice so their flavor permeates, one-third reserved for plating so every bite keeps the contrast of creamy rice and crisp, caramelized eggplant. Pockets of just-melted mozzarella recreate the character of the original without turning the risotto into a heavy cheese sauce. Elegant, nostalgic, and unmistakably Parmigiana.

Ingredient notes: Fiordilatte mozzarella is the right choice — drain it particularly well, ideally cut and left in a sieve in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before cooking. Too much mozzarella introduces water and makes the risotto heavy. The eggplant is salted, dried, and deep-fried in batches for maximum crispness.

• Colander (for the eggplant)
• Deep pot or fryer (for the eggplant)
• Wire rack or paper towels
• Wide saucepan (for the risotto)
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Warm serving plates

1. Salt the eggplant (20 min). Place the diced eggplant in a colander, season lightly with salt, and leave 20 minutes. Pat thoroughly dry.
2. Fry the eggplant (5 min). Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the eggplant in small batches 2-3 minutes until golden brown and tender. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and season very lightly with salt. Reserve about one-third of the best-looking pieces for plating — adding all the eggplant early would make it absorb liquid and lose the contrast.
3. Build the tomato base (8 min). Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan. Add the shallot and sauté over medium-low heat 3-4 minutes without browning. Add the tomato passata and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Toast the rice (2 min). Add the Carnaroli directly to the tomato base and toast 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and let it reduce almost completely.
5. Cook the risotto (14-16 min). Begin adding the hot stock gradually, enough to keep the rice gently simmering, for 14-16 minutes, stirring regularly. About 3 minutes before the rice is ready, fold in two-thirds of the fried eggplant — this lets some eggplant flavor become part of the risotto while the pieces retain their identity.
6. Mantecatura (2 min). When the rice is al dente, remove the pan completely from the heat. Add the cold butter, Parmigiano, torn basil, and black pepper. Stir vigorously, adding a little hot stock if necessary — the risotto should remain fluid and all'onda.
7. Add the mozzarella (1 min). Let the risotto rest about 30 seconds, then gently fold in half of the diced mozzarella. Don't vigorously melt it in — small pockets of just-melted mozzarella recreate the Parmigiana character better than a heavy cheese sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. Plate (2 min). Spread the risotto onto warm, flat plates. Finish each portion with the reserved fried eggplant, remaining mozzarella cubes, fresh basil, a light dusting of Parmigiano, and a few drops of olive oil. For an especially attractive presentation, place 3-4 golden eggplant cubes and 3 small mozzarella pieces deliberately around the surface.

• Keep the eggplant separate until the end. That's the whole point — the crisp-versus-creamy contrast.
• Restrain the tomato. This is still a risotto, not rice swimming in tomato sauce.
• Restrain the mozzarella. Too much introduces water and makes the risotto heavy.
• Drain the fiordilatte well. Cut it and leave it in a sieve in the refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking.
• Fold, don't melt. Small pockets of just-melted mozzarella recreate the Parmigiana better than a cheese sauce.
• Fry in small batches. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and steams the eggplant.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
All the eggplant in early	Soggy, liquid-absorbed, no contrast	Two-thirds in, one-third reserved
Too much tomato	Rice swimming in sauce	Restrained passata — 250 g
Too much mozzarella	Watery, heavy risotto	100 g, well drained
Melting the mozzarella in	Heavy cheese sauce	Fold gently, rest 30 sec first
Overcrowded fryer	Steamed, greasy eggplant	Small batches at 350°F
Undrained fiordilatte	Water bleeding into the rice	Sieve in the fridge 1-2 hours

• Smoked Scamorza: Use smoked scamorza instead of mozzarella.
• Spicy Parmigiana: A pinch of chili flakes in the tomato base.
• Breaded Eggplant: Coat the cubes in breadcrumbs before frying.
• Basil Oil: Drizzle basil oil instead of plain olive oil.
• Ricotta Salata: Crumble ricotta salata over the top.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer	Not recommended — the creamy emulsion breaks.
Reheating	Shape leftovers into small patties, coat lightly with breadcrumbs, and shallow-fry until crisp.

Bold and comforting, this pairs with:

• Chianti Classico — Cherry and spice with the tomato.
• Nero d'Avola — Full and fruity.
• Primitivo — Ripe and generous.
• Sangiovese Rosato — Light and food-friendly.

Per Serving (about 1¼ cups)
Calories	590
Protein	18 g
Fat	24 g
Carbohydrates	74 g
Fiber	4 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

Why keep the eggplant separate until the end?

Adding all of it early would make it absorb liquid and lose the crisp contrast that makes the finished risotto interesting. Two-thirds in, one-third reserved for plating.

Why not melt the mozzarella in?

Small pockets of just-melted mozzarella recreate the character of Parmigiana far better than turning the whole risotto into a heavy cheese sauce.

How do I drain the mozzarella?

Cut the fiordilatte into cubes and leave it in a sieve in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before cooking — excess water makes the risotto heavy.

Can I use regular mozzarella?

Fiordilatte is ideal; fresh mozzarella di bufala is too watery unless very well drained.

What do I do with leftovers?

Shape them into small patties, coat lightly with breadcrumbs, and shallow-fry until crisp.

• Risotto alla Puttanesca (Volume 3)
• Risotto con Melanzane e Pomodorini (Volume 3)
• Risotto alla Norma (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.