Melanzane al cioccolato (Chocolate Eggplant)

📝 Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (about 600g/1-1/4 lb)
• Flour
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• Oil for frying
• 200 g/1 cup sugar
• Ground cinnamon (to taste)
• Zest of one lemon (grated)
• 75 g 2-1/2 oz unsweetened cocoa
• 100 g 3-1/2 oz sugar
• 750 ml 2-1/2 cups of milk
• Almonds (slivered or sliced or ground, blanched or not)
• Pinoli nuts
• Bittersweet chocolate (cut into small bits)
• Candied orange and/or lemon peel and/or cherries (cut into bits (optional))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prep and fry the eggplant: Trim off the ends and peel the eggplant, then slice it thinly. [If making individual portions, cut them into rounds. If you want to make a single dish, cut them lengthwise.]
2. 2Fry the eggplant slices in batches in hot oil for just a minute or two on each side, until soft, taking care that they do not color. As they are done, lay them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. When they have all cooled off entirely, dip each slice in flour, then in beaten egg, then fry them in the oil again, until golden brown. Once again, lay them out on paper towels or a baking rack to drain.
3. 3While the eggplant slices are still warm, sprinkle them generously with a mixture of sugar, ground cinnamon and grated lemon zest.
4. 4Make the chocolate sauce: In a saucepan, whisk together the cocoa, sugar and milk until smooth. Bring the mixture to the barest boil and let it simmer gently for a good 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce is a dark brown and thick enough to coat a spoon.
5. 5Prep the filling: While the sauce is simmering, mix together all the filling ingredients in a bowl.
6. 6Assemble: When the sauce is ready, ladle a bit of the chocolate sauce on the bottom of individual serving plates. Lay a slice of fried eggplant on top. Sprinkle generously with the filling, then ladle of some of the chocolate sauce. Repeat with a second and, if you like, a third slice. Top the last slice with sauce and then more of the fruits and nuts mixture or, for a more uniform appearance, just the almonds or pinoli.
7. 7[NB: In the alternative, you can also assemble this dish in a large baking dish by layering the eggplant slices in rows, as if you were making a savory parmigiana.]
8. 8Rest: Let your Chocolate Eggplant rest until it is fully cooled before serving. It can also be served one or more days after you make it.