Italian Aubergine (brinjal) Bake

INGREDIENTS

2 large brinjal/aubergine (the longer the better)
good quality olive oil
1 can tomato puree
1 onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
dash of fresh cream
basil (big bunch)
bread/rolls to make soft bread crumbs
salt
black pepper
sugar
lemon juice
150g mozarella cheese
150g parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Slice brinjal lengthwise into thin and even slices, sprinkle with salt and olive oil and place in a roasting dish.

2. Roast brinjal slices in the oven until soft (if you set the oven to grill it will be quicker but be sure to keep a close watch so it does not burn)

3. Make a basic Italian tomato sauce:
Fry onions in 2 tablespoon of olive oil until see-through and soft.
Add garlic and fry for about a minute
Pour in tomato puree and allow to simmer for a few minutes before adding some water to keep it fluid, season with salt, black pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Taste to ensure each flavour (savoury, spicy, sweet and tangy) is balanced
Tear in a generous handful of basil leaves
Add a dash of cream to make it extra yummy

4. For the Brinjal stuffing: Take about 4 slices of bread or rolls (preferably white) and blitz in a food processor to make soft large crumbs. Should not be too fine. Add a generous glug or two of olive oil and some basil leaves. Pulse for a bit until the crumbs are quite soggy. Add grated mozarella and parmesan (set aside some of the cheese for later) and pulse again. The mixture should be combined and almost dough like.

5. Place a spoonful of the cheese/bread mixture onto the top of the brinjal slice and roll downwards so that the cheese is wrapped in the brinjal. Repeat until all the slices have been "stuffed".

6. Using a casserole/lasagne dish, spoon some of the tomato sauce onto the dish and spread around. Arrange brinjal rolls over. Spoon more tomato sauce over. Repeat until complete. Sprinkle a mix of mozarella, parmesan and/or cheddar cheese on top and bake at 180' C until melted, golden and bubbly.

INFO & TIPS

If you don't want to use a food processor, you can still make the bread/cheese mix without one. Just grate the bread and cheese into a bowl, add your olive oil and shredded basil leaves and mix until combined. You may need to use your hands to ensure it all comes together well.

I like to sprinkle bread crumbs on top as well for an extra crispy topping

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ?

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