Parmigiana di melanzane
Classic Italian dish of aubergine, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
Servings
6people
Cook Time
75minutes
Servings
6people
Cook Time
75minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Wash the aubergines and top and tail them. Slice lengthways in 5mm slices. Arrange the slices in layers in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt. Set aside for about 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and bash the garlic. Rinse the basil and tear the leaves from the stalks.
  3. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle lightly with salt and soften.
  4. After 5 minutes tear a few basil leaves in half and add to the onion and garlic. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes more.
  5. Add the passata. Rinse the bottle with a little water and add this to the pan too. Season with salt and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the garlic clove.
  6. Drain the mozzarella balls and dice them. Rinse the aubergine slices under running water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
  7. In a frying pan, warm some olive oil and fry the aubergine slices for a couple of minutes. Place them on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. You may have to do this in batches.
  8. PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas 4
  9. Cover the bottom of a 28 x 22cm deep oven dish with tomato sauce. Arrange a layer of aubergines on top.
  10. Scatter some mozzarella and basil over the aubergines, sprinkle with parmesan and a grinding of black pepper and cover with tomato sauce.
  11. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients, finishing with a layer of aubergines covered with tomato sauce and a generous sprinkling of parmesan.
  12. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until golden on top. Turn the oven off and leave the parmigiana to rest for 10 minutes.
  13. Serve with a salad of mixed green leaves and some crusty bread.
Recipe Notes

This classic bake with tomato, aubergine vegetarian mozzarella make a fantastic vegetarian centrepiece, ideal for easy entertaining.
Once assembled this easy parmigiana it can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.