Parmigiana di Melanzane
It’s been muggy beyond belief across New Zealand this last week and while turning on the oven during these conditions may be the last thing on your mind, if you too are laden with ripe eggplants and tomatoes and a garden full of basil, this recipe is worth the extra lick of steaminess.
Rachel Roddy was an easy choice when looking for an Eggplant Parm recipe; her recipes are simple, practical, and unwaveringly delicious. I ignored her demands to fry the eggplants for the recipe – deep fryer steam seeming unbearable in this humidity – and instead roasted the slices in the oven. Save for that, I followed Rachel’s recipe to the letter and was delighted with the results; a gooey, cheesey, savoury mess eaten al fresco with a simple crispy salad. A hot tip: the leftovers are brilliant on a piece of toast.
The intended pairing was a bottle of 2016 Testify Red I found tucked in the cellar, but after 90 minutes of oven-time in 95% humidity, a just-chilled bottle of Chardonnay won out. And what a glorious pairing that was; there’s nothing quite like the combo of a cheesy crust and nutty Chard.
Testify Chardonnay by Daniel Brennan 2020
A Hawke’s Bay classic with sundrenched Chardonnay richness, accentuated by bright acidity from the ocean-front vineyard and cool nights. The result is a complex and delicious Chardonnay; have this wine with fresh oysters by the beach or sip on the back porch watching the sunset.
