Lasagna without the food coma and less cooking time - sign us up!
Eggplant parmigiana is not only a healthier alternative to lasagna but also requires half as much the effort. We do ours in an authentic Italian-style and roast the eggplant slices rather than frying and breading them (very American style). It's easy and let's face the facts - eggplant, tangy tomato, fresh basil and melted cheese is a combo sent from heaven.
Ingredients
Tomato puree / tomato pelati (whole-peeled) can - 1 of each or 2 x 400mL cans
Onion - 1 piece, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, thin slices
Bay leaves - 2 leaves
Fresh basil
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
White wine (optional)
Eggplant - 2 pieces
Fresh mozzarella - 2 balls, sliced
Parmesan - grated
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Step-by-Step
Preheat the oven at 200℃
Slice eggplant into thin, even slices, brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, lay them out on 2 separate baking trays lined with baking paper and sprinkle them with salt and a good grind of pepper. Place the eggplant in the oven for approx 20 minutes and flip trays midway.
Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan on medium heat and add onion, garlic & bay leaves with a sprinkle of salt. Cook for a few minutes until onions become translucent. It's okay if they brown a bit as it brings out more flavour.
Add tomato puree and whole-peeled tomatoes to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and bring tomato sauce to a simmer.
Add a splash of wine, a sprig of basil and a dash of dried oregano & thyme to the sauce and continue to let simmer for at least 15-20 minutes.
While sauce is cooking and eggplant is in the oven, slice the mozzarella and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess water.
When eggplant and tomato sauce is ready, you can begin assembling the eggplant parmigiana. Use a baking dish (or 2 if you want to serve personal portions straight from the dish) and begin layering. Start with a layer of sauce to prevent the eggplant from drying up, then add eggplant slices, then mozzarella slice, then a few basil leaves and continue layering up. When you reach the final layer, sprinkle the top with lots of grated parmesan. You can also save a few basil leaves to place on top when the eggplant aubergine is out of the oven.
When you are finished assembling, place the dish in the oven for approximately 20-30 minutes. You'll know when it's ready when the cheese on the top begins to brown.
Once ready, remove from the oven, let it sit for at least 5 minutes and then you are ready to eat! Be sure to blow on each bite as we've burned our tongues numerous times by being impatient.
Tips
- Roast eggplant before assembling the full dish to remove excess water
- Use a brush to apply olive oil to the eggplant slices to avoid making them soggy
- Pat the fresh mozzarella slices dry with a paper towel to also remove excess water
- You can create the same dish with zucchini, which we'll be attempting soon!
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