From the glutton’s inexperienced point of view, this combination could look like the result of a child’s first cooking experiments, but all doubts disappear when you taste for the first time this fresh and tasty cake that you’ll find on the tables of the Amalfi Coast during the period of the Feast of the Assumption. It is so appreciated to cause a real “war of taste”.

Maiori, Minori, Sorrento, even Cava de’ Tirreni… many places tried to claim the fatherhood of this dish, but according to the history this recipe was born in Atrani. The “mulignana cu a cioccolata” was born thanks to the idea of a Franciscan friar who loved spending his pauses from prayers in the kitchen and who used to prepare in the monastery fried aubergines covered by a sweat and liqueur sauce.

The addition of chocolate, come later, was so delicious that all the commensals started to talk about this cake also outside the monastery walls promoting this dish through the local populations.

Aubergines (500g)

Flour for dusting

Dark chocolate (100g)

Milk (220ml)

Sugar (70g)

Salt as required

Extra virgin olive oil as required

The most important thing to know before preparing the “mulignana cu a cioccolata” is that the preparation is very similar to the aubergines parmigiana. Rinse the aubergines and cut them in long thick slices, sparkle with some salt and set aside in a colander for two hours to draw out any bitter juices. Remind to put a dish directly on the aubergines, in this way the pressure will help to draw out the solanine that is naturally in the aubergines.

Two hours later, rinse again the aubergines and dry with a tea towel. Now put them in a large frying pan heat. Fry until golden-brown and drain on a kitchen paper for almost one hour.

Now it’s time to prepare the chocolate cream. Put the cocoa, sugar and the flour in a small pot and add some milk little by little. Mix carefully in order to avoid lumps. Later put the small pot away from the flame and keep on mixing until the chocolate cream thickens.

Take a high oven pan and alternate the aubergines and chocolate layers, starting from chocolate. At this time the argument about the fatherhood of this recipe comes back. In fact, someone prefers adding amaretto biscuits, someone the pine nuts or the almonds, someone the Amalfi grated lemon rind and someone prefers the Strega of Benevento liqueur.

We suggest finishing the preparation adding what you prefer. The last important thing to know is that you have to serve “mulignana cu a cioccolata” chilled, so when you have finished put the oven pan into the fridge for two hours at least, it would be better for an entire night. The “mulignana cu a cioccolata” is ready to be tried. Simple, unusual and fresh, to taste while visiting the Amalfi Coast.