My Father's Melanzane alla Parmigiana
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 1 onion
- 1 jar of passata or tin of crushed tomatoes
- 2 eggs
- plain flour
- salt
- pepper
- basil
- heaps of grated parmesan
- a little grated mozzarella
- olive oil
- canola oil
Method
Cut the aubergines into rounds - not too thick but not wafer thin, either. Salt and leave for an hour in a colander to drain. Then wash the salt off with cold water and pat dry with a clean cloth.
Neopolitan sauce: Finely chop an onion and fry in a little olive oil. Pour on a jar of tomato passata or a tin of crushed tomatoes. Add basil, a little salt and pepper and then simmer for 20 minutes.
Beat two eggs with a little salt and pepper. Dip both sides of each aubergine in plain flour and then in beaten egg and shallow fry in hot canola oil until golden brown.
Layer aubergines in a shallow oven dish - four layers maximum - covering each layer with some Neopolitan sauce and grated parmesan as you go.
Sprinkle some mozzarella on the top and bake for 20 minutes at about 150°C.
Serve immediately. Great with steak, chicken, fish or just crusty bread and salad.
