AUBERGINE CASSEROLE - MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA

Ok, now the summer has really gone. It's another windy and grey day. The good thing is that at least, from now on, I'll be able to wear all the wintery stuff I bought a couple of weeks ago in Oxford st.!

Yesterday, as I had a couple of aubergines in the fridge, I've decided to make the last "Melanzane alla Parmigiana" of the season.This is my favourite dish, and this is my granny's recipe. She usually added also some cooked ham between the layers.

This is my personal version of the dish, it's lighter than the classic one, as the aubergines are usually fried; instead, I grill them.

Ingredients for 4/6 people

2 big aubergines

1/2 onion
1/2 carrot
1/2 celery
800 gr tin chopped tomatoes
2 mozzarellas
Some basil leaves
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

Slice the aubergines in the length sense. Put the slices in a colander and cover every layer with salt and let them rest for about 1 hour. Then wash them. You’ll see that they release a dark liquid, that’s very bitter and it has to be discarded.

Brush two big saucepans with olive oil and cook the aubergine slices on both sides (or you can grill them using a grilling machine).
Meanwhile cook some soffritto (chopped onion,carrot and celery) in another saucepan and add the chopped tomatoes, some salt and the chopped basil leaves. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Slice the mozzarella into thin slices. Arrange a layer of aubergine slices in the bottom of an ovenproof dish, spread the tomato sauce over the top and add the mozzarella slices. Then cover with another layer of aubergine slices then tomato sauce, then mozzarella, then parmesan and a bit of olive oil. Put in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until the mozzarella is golden brown.