The melanzane you want on the table tonight

Take a melanzane where the cheese is still bubbling, from the pot of our neighbors at FavorFlav and I want to eat. I would love to eat eggplant every day by the way, this vegetable does not get the honor it deserves.

Taking a baking dish full of bubbling cheese out of the oven is an ultimate moment of happiness every time. The Italian casserole with eggplant and tomato sauce is addictively delicious. Always make too much, because you want to eat this on a sandwich the next day.

INGREDIENTS

2 aubergines
1 onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 can of peeled tomatoes (400 g)
1 large handful of basil (approx. 25 g)
2 balls of mozzarella, 125 grams each
150 g Parmesan cheese
1 large handful of panko (approx. 25 g)
olive oil, for frying
salt and pepper

INGREDIENTS

immersion blender or blender

1. Slice the eggplants, mix with the salt and place in a colander with a bowl underneath. Let it sit for an hour to draw out the moisture from the eggplant (see tip). Fry the eggplant slices in olive oil until they are crispy and golden brown. Do this in batches so that everything fits in one layer in the pan.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic for five minutes in a splash of olive oil over low heat until the onion is translucent. Add the peeled tomatoes and let simmer for about five more minutes. Puree the sauce with an immersion blender or in the blender and season with salt and pepper.

3. Tear the basil into small pieces. Place one third of the eggplants in a baking dish and cover with one third of the tomato sauce. Add one third of the basil on top, followed by one third of the mozzarella and one third of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Sprinkle the whole with panko and bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving the dish.

TIP

Always salt your eggplant if you are going to fry it afterwards. This removes any bitter taste and it absorbs less oil. Are you going to steam or roast the eggplant in the oven? Then salting beforehand is not necessary.

This is one of the 100 recipes you want to have cooked at least once and the book also makes a phenomenal gift. It's just an unbiased tip of course.

Text: FavorFlav