Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Aubergine Parmigiana Bake)

Tomato sauce

• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 700 g Tomato passata
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 20 g Fresh basil

Aubergine and assembly

• 900 g Aubergine, firm, glossy
• 120 g Plain flour
• 2 Egg
• 700 ml Sunflower oil
• 250 g Mozzarella
• 80 g Parmesan

1. Make the sauce: warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant but not coloured. Stir in the passata, salt and pepper, then simmer gently for 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Tear in most of the basil, reserving a few leaves for the top.
2. Meanwhile, slice the aubergines into rounds about 1 cm thick and lay them in a colander. Sprinkle with a little of the salt from the measured amount, then leave to drain for 20 minutes. Pat dry well with kitchen paper.
3. Put the flour in a shallow dish and beat the eggs in a second dish. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until a small drop of egg sizzles immediately. Dip the aubergine slices in flour, then egg, and fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden; drain on kitchen paper.
4. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Slice the mozzarella and let it drain briefly on kitchen paper, then finely grate the parmesan. Spoon a thin layer of sauce into a baking dish, then add a layer of fried aubergine, a little mozzarella, a sprinkle of parmesan, and a few basil leaves; repeat, finishing with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan on top.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. If the top colours too quickly, lower the oven to 180°C (355°F) for the final 10 minutes. Leave to rest for 15 minutes so the layers set, then serve.

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