Melanzane Parmigiana
This is one of my all time favourite dishes. There was a great little Italian restaurant that we used to go when my husband and I were first dating and they did the best parmigiana. I'd always get it as a starter. Over the years, I have to say I have had some terrible versions. Parmigiana is definitely not made equally wherever you go. That's why I like making it at home. Plus any leftovers are SO GOOD as a pasta sauce. Just finely chop or throw into a food processor on pulse and add to pasta. To make enough for 4, you will need:
- 2 large aubergines (and I mean large)
- Plain flour
- One tin tomatoes
- One onion
- One garlic clove
- Parmesan
- Mozzarella
- Olive oil
- Seasoning
Aubergines are like sponges. They absorb oil very quickly. I heard that sprinkling them with some salt and leaving them for about half an hour stops them absorbing so much oil. I am not sure if it is true but it's worth a go. Slice your aubergines lengthways. You want them around 0.5cm thick. If they are too thin they will burn when you fry them and then practically melt away when you bake them. Once you've cut them length ways, salt them and leave them for about 30 minutes. Then dip them in some plain flour so both sides are coated. Keeping going until they've all been coated in some flour. Then place a frying pan with a little olive oil in it on a high heat. Then drizzle your aubergines with olive oil. When the pan is hot start frying them. You want to get them nice and brown on either side. You may need to top up the olive oil when frying. When you have fried them all leave them all to one side.Finely slice your onion and garlic and soften in some olive oil on a low heat. When they have been softened add your tinned tomatoes and break up using the back of your spoon. (Or use your food processor to finely slice the onion and garlic, then rinse it out and put your tinned tomatoes in and whizz round). I had a little pizza sauce left from the other day and added that in too. Let it simmer for around 15 minutes, add a little sugar. Then and this is not a necessary step but I like to put mine in the blender to get a really smooth sauce. Let the sauce cool.Now you can start layering. Layer your aubergines, topping with some tomato sauce, sprinkling parmesan on top, some salt, some torn mozzarella, some basil, then adding another layer of aubergine and so on. I found this made 3 layers.
Sometimes I like to add breadcrumbs on top if I have any spare. Then place in the fridge until you are ready to cook. I cook them at 200 in an electric oven for around 30 minutes or so. Then when I want the top to brown a little more I turn up to 220. You want it to be bubbling up around the edges. Leave them, if you can, for around 15 /20 minutes before cutting into them, so they retain their shape. Oh and make sure you have some nice crusty bread that you can eat them with, so you can dip it right into the sauce.