Melanzane alla Pamigiana  or Aubergine parmigiana is a beautifully simple dish packed with flavour.

It’s griddled aubergines, layered between a rich tomato sauce, basil and parmesan, topped with mozzarella and baked until gooey.

Serve as it is with a side salad and some bread or as a side along some roasted chicken.

Try this instead of a Lasagne and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

 

Recipe (serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main)

2 aubergines

Olive oil (plenty!)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

x2 cans or 1 large jar of crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

100g parmesan, grated

1 ball of mozzarella, sliced

Bunch of basil leaves

salt and pepper

Start by heating your oven to 180c.

Slice your aubergines into discs, around 1/2 cm thick. Heat up a large griddle or frying pan and place in your aubergine slices in an even layer. Brush with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden on one side, then turn over and brush and season the other side. Continue until all aubergines are cooked. Set aside.

Next, in the same pan, fry the garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil for 30 seconds then add in the tomatoes. Season well with salt and pepper and add in the oregano.

In a baking dish, spoon some tomato sauce into the bottom and put an even layer of aubergine on top. Sprinkle some of the parmesan on and some basil, then repeat with some more sauce, aubergine, parmesan and basil until all used up. Finish with the mozzarella on top and some black pepper.

Bake at 180c for 20 minutes or unitl bubbling and golden.

Serve with crusty bread and a salad or as a side dish to a lovely roast chicken or fish.