Introduction to Eggplant

(Melanzana "Milinjiani" or Milinciani)

There are many varieties of eggplant in various shapes, colors and sizes. They
may be round, elongated, oval; purple-black to white; weighting from one
ounce to five pounds. Native to India , the eggplant was cultivated inAsia ,
specifically, the white variety that was very common and grows to the size of an
egg, hence the name eggplant.
The eggplant or baadenjaan in Arabic was introduced in the western world
around the year 750 by the Moorish invaders of the Iberia Peninsula and called
berenjena or berenjela.
Soon after it was brought into Sicily by the Arabs it was named milinjiana
("milinciana" in the Palermo dialect).
This name is not a derivation from al- baadenjaan like the French aubergine.
It is instead from the botanical mane Solanum Melongena, (melon means apple
and gena means plant) which refers to the shape of a certain variety of the fruit
which resembles an apple.
In Italian milinjiana was morphed into melenzana and incorrectly translated
into English as mad apple (mela, apple; insana, a false cognate for insane).
So yes, the eggplant is a fruit of the berry family; yet the bitter, spongy flesh
cannot be eaten raw. Eggplants are versatile and used as condiment to various
pasta dishes or preserved in oil to compliment sandwiches. The caponatina,
bracioli, croquettes are delicious as a appetizer or side dish and as a main
course the tasty eggplant parmiciana, also known as parmigiana, or cutlets or
the miniature eggplants stuffed with cheese, garlic, mint, salt, pepper and
cooked in tomato sauce.
What should you know about buying and storing eggplants?
The lighter fruits are milder in flavor and the darker have a stronger taste.
Fresh picked eggplants are less bitter than stored eggplants.
Choose the smallest and the heaviest.
Make sure the color is uniform, the skin is tight, and there are no blemishes or
wrinkles.
Do not refrigerate for too long that will dehydrate the flesh (which is primarily
made of water). Long storage makes it bitter.
The most popular varieties in the market are:
Italian-American Eggplants. Large with dark purple skin

 Italian Baby Eggplants. Small, deep purple skin, delicate flesh

Louisiana Long Green, or Applegreen. Good for broiling, sweet
Florida Market. Large to medium size, oval, glossy dark black

Eggplant Recipes
Appetizers:
Sweet and Sour Eggplant Salad Caponatina
Stuffed Eggplants Beccafico- Lemon Sauce
Rolled Eggplants with Cheeses and Salami- a Bracioli
Croquettes of Eggplants Polpette Fritte
Grilled Eggplants- Melenzane alla griglia
Eggplants Vinaigrette- Melenzane all Agro
Eggplants Preserved in Oil- Melenzane sottOlio
Pasta:
Spaghetti with Eggplants Palermo Style
Baked Penne with Eggplants, Pasta ncasciata - Messina Style
Eggplants, Tomatoes and Ricotta Salata Cheese Catania Style
Spaghettini Eggplant and Ricotta Salata Trapani Style
Main Dishes or in small portions as a Side Dish:
Baked Eggplant with Tomato and Cheese- Parmiciana
Breaded or Battered Eggplants a Cotoletta
Fried Quails Style a Quagghia
Miniature Eggplant Stuffed and Cooked in Tomato Sauce - Abbuttunati