Parmigiana di melanzane (Baked aubergine with cheeses

[john m]

Copy of Aubergine & pollenta 011.jpg

A nice easy, tasty Italian dish (of the food variety!)
Baked aubergine with cheeses in a tomato & basil sauce & in this instance accompanied with fried polenta.
Ingredients quoted allow for two generous portions.
1 kg of aubergine, 200 grms of freshly grated parmesan, 200 grms of sliced mozarella, salt & pepper + flour for coating the aubergines.

Tomato sauce
500 grms of chopped tomatoes, one medium onion finely chopped, garlic as per taste, salt & pepper, olive oil & a few leaves of freshly torn basil.

Polenta
One cup of course polenta & two & a half cups of salted water (or beef stock)

Thickly slice the aubergines, put on a flat tray, sprinkle with salt & leave for about an hour to reduce the moisture content.
In the olive oil, fry the onions until soft then add chopped tomatoes & garlic continue cooking for about ten mins then add the basil, salt & pepper. Puree the sauce with a processor or blender.
Boil the water or stock & slowly add the polenta, stirring all the time until it thickens, reduce the heat & stirr frequently until cooked (approx 40 mins) then turn into a shallow dish in an even layer & leave to cool.

Take the aubergines, coat in flour & fry on both sides until lightly brown. Put a layer of the sauce in a shallow oven proof dish, then top with a layer of aubergines. Sprinkle on some parmesan & a layer of mozarello, then repeat the proceedure until all ingredients are used, but allow a little sauce & parmesan for a final light topping, sprinkle over a little olive oil & some basil, then bake in the oven at around 180c for approx 45 mins

While the aubergine & sauce is baking, cut the cold polenta into even pieces, turn out of the dish & fry on both sides until crispy on outside. Serve along with a helping of the aubergine & sauce.