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Parmigiana is a dish traditionally made with layers of Parmesan cheese on fried eggplant slices. Its exact origin and name are debated, but it is recognized as a southern Italian dish. Variations include meat-based versions like chicken and veal parmigiana, and it has spread beyond its original recipe to include other cheeses and applications.
Parmigiana is a term used to describe a meal that is cooked and served with grated Parmesan cheese. Traditionally, it was an Italian dish consisting of layers of parmesan cheese on fried eggplant slices. The meal has many variations today and is popular beyond its country of origin.
While it is indisputable that parmigiana has its origins in Italy, exactly where and how it got its name is debatable. It is recognized as a southern Italian dish, with the Campania region and the island of Sicily claiming ownership of its origin. The name of the dish suggests that it came from Parma, which is actually located in northern Italy. However, Parma cuisine is missing, which leads some people to theorize that the term derives from the Sicilian word parmiciana. Additionally, there is a strong possibility that the dish was named for the hard granular cheese that is said to be its main ingredient, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmigiano.
Regardless of the precise region of Italian origin or the means by which it acquired its name, parmigiana was originally known as eggplant parmigiana or eggplant parmigiana. Eggplant and aubergine are terms that refer to eggplant. Originally from India, the aubergine did not reach Europe until the 16th century, thus indicating that parmigiana could have developed shortly after this time period. The eggplant dish is prepared by lightly frying the eggplant slices in a pan filled with oil, covering it with cheese and tomato sauce, and cooking it.
Parmigiana began to spread to other parts of the world, particularly the United States, as the number of Italian immigrants increased in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Around this time, the previously strictly vegetarian dish began to develop meat-based variants. A prime example is chicken parmigiana, which involves chicken breasts dipped in a beaten egg mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, deep-fried, and layered with marinara sauce. Another popular variation is veal parmigiana.
By the end of the 20th century, the term parmigiana had spread to other applications that had little in common with the original recipe. In the United States, for example, delicatessens sell chicken or veal variants as fillings for submarine sandwiches, placing the prepared meat in the middle of sliced open oblong Italian rolls. Furthermore, Parmesan is no longer the only cheese used and other types such as mozzarella have been used instead of Parmesan or in addition to it.
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