Melanzane alla Parmigiana

This Tuesday was, in fact, my first time ever making this recipe… I’d helped my gran a few times making something quite similar which included a creamy mushroom sauce (also a delicious recipe), but never this exact recipe, and I’ve been looking for excuses to remake it, every day since.

Who would have thought that such a simple five-ingredient recipe could encourage such strong feelings of love and comfort and joy all at once?

This recipe can be made in bulk, used as a meal all on its own, used as a side dish, or reheated the next day. My personal favourite, however, is serving it fresh, straight from the oven, with cheese still oozing out the sides.

It is also such a great option for Banters, vegetarians, and even just for someone trying to keep their eating clean. And the best part is you wouldn’t even guess it…

Definitely, a recipe to try this weekend!!

Melanzane Alla Parmigiana

Serves 4

2 large aubergines, thinly sliced widthways

olive oil to grease the baking sheets

1 Tbsp of olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp of dried oregano

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

Sugar to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

50g of Parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

150g mozzarella cheese grated

Pre-heat the oven on grill. Grease two baking sheets with olive oil. Lay the aubergine slices on the baking sheets. Place them in the oven and grill until they are golden. You can switch the baking sheets halfway.

While the aubergines are baking, in a large non-stick frying pan, fry the onion garlic and oregano until softening. Add a dash or two of water to speed this up.

Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and season with sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the basil just as you finish cooking the tomato.

Toss the two kinds of cheese together in a bowl.

In a medium casserole dish or loaf tin, spread a little of the tomato sauce, them a layer of aubergines, the tomato, then cheese, then aubergine, then tomato, then cheese etc. ending with tomato and cheese.

Bake this in the oven (drop the temperature to 180° on regular top and bottom heat setting) for about 40 – 45 minutes (depending on how deep the dish is). If the cheese starts to colour too much, cover it with foil.