Ingredients

serves 6

　　2 pounds boneless veal, preferably in one piece*

　　1 1/2 pounds small eggplants (2 or 3)

　　1/2cup canola or other vegetable oil

　　1 cup or more flour, for dredging

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　

For the Sauce

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　3 tablespoons soft butter

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　2 dozen fresh basil leaves

　　1 1/2 cups Summer Tomato Sauce (page 256)

　　1/2 cup white wine, plus more if needed

　　3/4 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　1 cup hot Simple Vegetable Broth (page 288) or stock, if needed

　　

Step 1

Place a rack in the center or upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°.

　　

Step 2

If you have a single chunk of veal, slice it across the grain into six equal pieces. Pound each piece with a mallet (or the flat bottom of a heavy pan) to flatten to a 1/2-inch thickness. Trim the stem and bottom ends of the eggplants. If they’re 6 inches long or less, cut them lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. If they are longer, slice them on the diagonal at a sharp angle, creating large ovals. You should have two or three pieces to cover each veal cutlet.

　　

Step 3

Put 1/3 cup of canola oil in the skillet and set over medium heat.

　　

Step 4

Dredge the eggplant slices in flour, and when the oil is hot, put about half the pieces in the pan. Fry gently 2 to 3 minutes, and flip when lightly caramelized; fry for another 2 minutes on the second side. Remove to paper towels; salt lightly. Add remaining canola oil to the pan (if it seems dry) and brown the rest of the eggplant; drain on paper towels and salt lightly. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour out any remaining canola oil.

　　

Starting on the Stovetop

Step 5

Put the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in the skillet and set over medium-low heat.

　　

Step 6

Salt the veal slices, dredge in flour, and when the butter is just sizzling, arrange all six in the pan. Cook them gently for a minute or so, then turn and let them brown slowly while you make the gratinate and the sauce.

　　

Step 7

Season the veal with pinches of salt and grinds of fresh pepper.

　　

Step 8

Lay one or two basil leaves flat on each cutlet.

　　

Step 9

Spoon a heaping tablespoon of tomato sauce on top of each.

　　

Step 10

Cover the sauced cutlets with overlapping slices of eggplant.

　　

Step 11

Raise the heat; drop the remaining butter, in pieces, around the pan.

　　

Step 12

Pour the 1/2 cup of wine into the pan and let it heat briefly.

　　

Step 13

Spoon the remaining tomato sauce in between the veal portions.

　　

Step 14

Shred the rest of the basil leaves and drop into the sauce.

　　

Step 15

Shake the skillet to mix up the sauce, and add more wine or water if the level is too low.

　　

Step 16

Finally, sprinkle 2 tablespoons or so of grated cheese on each cutlet.

　　

Finishing in the Oven

Step 17

Follow the instructions in the main recipe for zucchini and chicken.

　　Cooks' Note

　　*Try to get a 2-pound chunk of veal (from the leg or shoulder), which you will slice into 6 individual cutlets, about 5 ounces each. If your market has only pre-cut small scaloppine, pound them, then cook 2 or 3 of them together for each gratinate portion.

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.