Aubergine Parmigiana

Aubergine Parmigiana

Serves about 6

Contrary to expectations this is not a classic Northern Italian recipe, it comes from the South of Italy. This method is a great way to cook aubergines by layering them with Parmesan cheese PDO and tomatoes sauce and then baking them you get an absolutely scrumptious vegetable dish. Great served as starter.

Tomato sauce

Ingredients:

130 ml extra virgin olive oil;

1 onion , finely chopped;

2 x 400g tins tomatoes (passata di pomodoro);

1 small bunch of basil;

5 medium aubergines

4 balls mozzarella cheese;

150 g Parmesan;

salt

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and gently stir until it becomes brown.

Add the tomatoes ( passata di pomodoro) and stir frequently. Add the salt and the chopped basil. Let it cook for 40 minutes.

Slice the aubergines lengthways about 1cm thick. Brush both sides with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and grill. It's important to grill the aubergines well.

Grilling aubergines

Chop the mozzarella cheese into cubes of 1 cm for each side. Put into a colander and add salt so it can discharge the water inside them.  Cut into julienne some leaves of basil and grate the Parmesan PDO finely.

ready to bake

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Take the baking tray and make the first layer with tomato sauce, then a layer of aubergines and then one of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, season with the pre-sliced basil. Make 2 more layers of aubergines and tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden.