Recipe
Nanna took everything she loves about eggplant parmigiana and turned it into the ultimate panini. Crispy schnitzels, melty cheese, and Napoli sauce – it’s a handheld hug from Nanna.
You will need
Serves 4
For the eggplant schnitzels:
- 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 large eggplant
- 1/2 cup cornflour
- 1 1/2 cups plain flour (1/2 cup for wet batter, 1 cup separate)
- 2/3 cup ice cold water
- Handful continental parsley (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup vegan parmesan
- Salt
For the paninis:
- 4 ciabatta rolls
- 1 cup of Napoli sauce (store-bought or make your own)
- 1 - 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds
- Vegan parmesan, to garnish
- Handful of rocket
- Basil, a few leaves per roll
Recipe: Nanna Mirella
Photography: Brendan Cherry
Directions
Step 1
Slice the eggplant into 1/2 cm rounds. Lay them flat on a surface and sprinkle generously with salt. Set aside to draw out moisture while you prepare the coatings.
Step 2
In a wide bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup plain flour, cornflour, and ice-cold water until smooth and loose with an egg-like texture. Season the batter with salt and, if using, finely chopped continental parsley.
Step 3
In a second wide bowl, place the 1 cup plain flour for dusting.
Step 4
In a third wide bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and vegan parmesan (if using).
Step 5
Gently pat the salt off the eggplant slices with paper towel. Lightly coat each slice in the plain flour bowl, shaking off any excess.
Step 6
Dip the floured eggplant slices into the wet batter, ensuring they are evenly coated. Then press them into the breadcrumb and parmesan mix, pressing gently with your hands or a fork to make sure the coating sticks well. Lay the coated schnitzels flat on a plate. Note: We recommend only doing a few at a time at each step.
Step 7
Pour the vegetable oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1 cm and heat over medium heat. Test if the oil is hot enough by dipping the end of a wooden spoon into the oil — if it bubbles steadily, it’s ready.
Step 8
Gently place schnitzels into the hot oil. Fry for about 3–4 minutes on each side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Remove any loose crumbs from the oil between batches to prevent burning.
Step 9
Transfer fried schnitzels onto paper towels to drain excess oil. Taste one and sprinkle with a little extra salt if needed.
Step 10
Set your oven to 180°C or higher if you prefer crispier toppings.
Step 11
Place the schnitzels on an oven-safe tray. Spoon Napoli sauce over each and sprinkle generously with vegan mozzarella. Bake for about 5–8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.
Step 12
Slice ciabatta rolls in half. Spread a layer of Napoli sauce inside each roll, then sprinkle with vegan parmesan. Add a handful of fresh rocket leaves and a few basil leaves. Place one eggplant parmigiana schnitzel (the baked eggplant with sauce and cheese) inside each roll.
Step 13
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Hot tip!
These schnitzels can also be used to make an amazing eggplant lasagne!
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Recipe: Nanna Mirella
Photography: Brendan Cherry
