Parmigiana di melanzane

A Traditional Farmers dish Made with classic Italian ingredients and flavours.

Step 1- Prepare the Aubergines

• Slice the aubergines lengthwise- aim for around 0.5-1cm thickness
• Place the aubergines into a colander and sprinkle generously with salt and rest for 30 minutes. Salting the aubergine draws out excess moisture and bitterness
• Pat dry with a tea towel

 Step 2: Prepare the tomato sauce

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan
• Chop the garlic and fry for a minute until just starting to brown
• Add the tinned tomatoes and oregano and bring to a simmer
• Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes until thickened
• Adjust seasoning to taste

Step 3: Cook the aubergines

• Pre-heat grill to 200°C (400°F)
• Grill the aubergine in batches- spread as many aubergine slices as will fit on a baking tray in a single layer without overlapping.
• Brush with olive oil
• Grill for 7-10 minutes, turning and oiling the slices halfway through so both sides are cooked
• The slices should be golden and slightly crisped, keep a close eye during cooking to make sure they don’t burn
• Repeat until all the slices of aubergine are cooked.

Step 4: Build the Parmigiana

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C (400°F)
• Butter a 21 x 27cm ovenproof dish.
• Place a layer of aubergine over the base of the dish
• Spread a couple of spoonfuls of tomato sauce
• Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and dot these over the top of the aubergine and tomatoes
• Sprinkle over a generous amount of grated parmesan
• lay a few basil leaves over the parmesan
• Repeat these steps for 5-6 layers, Aubergine – Tomato sauce - Mozzarella- Parmesan- Basil
• For the final layer top with tomato sauce, mozzarella and grated parmesan but omit the basil- it will just burn
• Bake the Parmigiana for 35-40 minutes until golden
• Allow to rest for 15–20 minutes before serving for clean slices

Serving suggestions : Rustic Italian Bread to mop up the sauce. Simple, colourful saladano