Aubergine Parmigiana

This dish was "haunting" me for a while, first I saw it in a video on the instagram, then my friend made it on the day we had a chat and now my partner has bought an aubergine, quite randomly, while doing some breakfast shopping.

This dish is simple and lovely. Quite similar to the "Pasta-free Lasagne" recipe, but more simple and maybe even better. It's a bit saucy, so If you prefer it to be less loose, just use less sauce and maybe a bit more of the aubergine.

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Recipe is for 2 portions (as a main).

Ingredients :

1 big aubergine

salt

vegetable oil

olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp rosemary

1 can of chopped tomatoes

100 ml white/red wine

black pepper

1 tsp sugar

50 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (reserve about a half or at least a quarter for the top layer)

125 g ricotta

1 mozzarella cheese

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Prepare a 1lb tin or tray, line it with parchment paper or brush the sides with some oil (I've used a 1lb loaf tin). Preheat the oven to 180'C when you have finished step 3.

Method :

1. Wash and cut the aubergine lengthwise in 3-5mm thick slices. Put them in a sieve placed over a bowl and lightly sprinkle each slice with salt, it will release the moisture from the aubergine and make it softer. Leave it for about 30 minutes.

2. When the aubergine is ready, pat it with a kitchen paper towel until it's dry. Preheat a pan with some vegetable oil in it and fry each slice of aubergine on both sides for 1-2 minutes, we want it to soften and catch some colour. Be careful not to put any wet aubergine slices into the hot oil, as it might be dangerous or at least not a pleasant experience. When they are all ready keep them on the side for later use.

3. To prepare the sauce, peel the garlic and roughly chop it. Take a pan and put it over low heat, add some olive oil and add the garlic and herbs. When the garlic is slightly golden in colour it's time to slowly add the chopped tomatoes and wine. Add the sugar and a good amount of ground black pepper, mix it all well and leave it to simmer for up to 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally. When it has reduced the liquids, you can transfer it to a bowl and blend it into a smooth sauce. Now it's a good time to preheat the oven to 180'C.

4. Take the tin or tray of your choice and start layering all of the components. Start with a little bit of sauce, then couple slices of aubergine, sauce, mozzarella/ricotta, parmigiano and aubergine again. Repeat those steps until you've used all of the aubergine. Last layer should be a mix of the ricotta/mozzarella and parmigiano.

5. Bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Let it cool down a little bit before serving, so it's easier to plate.

Enjoy!