Eggplant Parmigiana Gratin

Tender eggplant slices coated in a thick, reduced tomato sauce. The cheese gratinates in the oven to form a golden, stretchy crust.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 540
• Protein: 24 g
• Carbs: 30 g
• Fat: 37 g

Ingredients

• 3 piece Eggplant (aubergine) ( sliced into rounds )
• 800 g Round tomato ( crushed )
• 250 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( sliced )
• 100 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 50 g Wheat flour
• 1 piece Basil ( fresh leaves )
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Eggplant preparation

   Slice the eggplants into 1 cm thick rounds. Sprinkle with sea salt and let drain for 20 minutes on a wire rack to extract excess water.

2. Browning the slices

   Dredge each slice in wheat flour. In a pan with extra virgin olive oil, brown the eggplants on both sides until they are soft and golden.

3. Reducing the sauce

   Mince the onion and garlic. Sauté them in oil, then add the crushed tomatoes. Simmer over low heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

4. Layering and baking

   In a baking dish, alternate layers of sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, and basil. Finish with a thick layer of parmesan. Bake at 180°C until the cheese is perfectly browned.

Chef's tips

• Don't skip the draining step; it prevents the dish from being spongy and bitter.
• The sauce must be very thick before layering to avoid making the eggplants soggy.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Better reheated the next day when flavors have melded.