Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　4 small eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds; see note)

　　1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

　　1/2 cup fine, dry bread crumbs

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably the Sicilian or Greek type dried on the branch, crumbled

　　Salt

　　3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Wash the eggplants, cut off the stems, then cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Cut each half into two or three wedges, depending on size of eggplant. (The eggplant wedges should be no more than 1 inch at their widest.)

　　

Step 2

Toss the Pecorino, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the parsley, capers, and oregano together in a small bowl until the crumbs are evenly moistened with the oil. Toss the eggplant wedges with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a separate bowl, season them with salt and pepper, and toss again. Lay the eggplant, cut side up, in a 15 × 11–inch baking dish (or other dish into which they fit comfortably in a single layer). Sprinkle the vinegar over the eggplant, cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake until softened and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Remove the foil from the baking dish and bake the eggplant uncovered until it is tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Top the eggplant wedges with the seasoned bread crumbs, dividing them evenly. Bake until the eggplant is tender and topping is deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let it cool in the baking dish, and serve warm or at room temperature.

　　Cooks' Note

　　If you cannot find eggplants of that size, substitute 2 larger (about ¾ pound each) eggplants. Cut off the stems and cut the eggplants in half crosswise before cutting them into 1-inch wedges.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.