Eggplant parmigiano--this dish is either one of the best things anyone could ever eat--or a soggy mess. but, like piecrust, it's all technique. Always try to select medium sized, firm eggplants--i like to peel them in "stripes" so that you have some of the skin intact.Cut them into rounds, treat them with salt, and let them render their moisture as decribed in the last blog.

For the egg mixture you will need:

4-6 eggs

1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley

2/3 to 1 cup of grated parmigiano (or grana padano) i'll explain later

and salt and pepper to taste

Dredge the treated eggplant which have been blotted dry in a coating of flour--shake off the excess. Dip the eggplant into the egg mixture and fry until golden on both sides.

At this point you may just devour the eggplant without going any further, but get a grip!