Parmigiana is layered Italian dish that’s deliciously creamy and full of flavour. Although similar to lasagne in its use of cheese and tomato sauce, aubergine parmigiana is known for its unique eggplant filling. Bake until golden and tuck into the divine combination of aubergine, cheese and breadcrumbs.
Aubergine parmigiana
Ingredients
- 3 aubergines
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 5ml (1 tsp) dried oregano
- 2 x 410g tins plum tomatoes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5ml (1 tsp) red wine vinegar
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
- 60ml (¼ cup) Parmesan, freshly grated
- a handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- 125ml (½ cup) dried breadcrumbs
- 150g ball of buffalo mozzarella, sliced
Instructions
Cut the aubergine into 1cm-thick slices. Heat a griddle pan over high heat and grill the aubergine for 3 minutes on each side, until slightly charred and marked. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and dried oregano and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
When the sauce has reduced, season, add the vinegar and basil and cook for 5 more minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce into an ovenproof baking dish, followed by a sprinkling of Parmesan and fresh oregano and a layer of aubergine. Repeat until all the ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of tomato sauce.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, the remaining Parmesan and slices of mozzarella.
Bake until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
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ALSO SEE:Chargrilled aubergine Vegetable braai
