This simple aubergine dish is ideal for vegetarians, just omit the Grana Padano for vegetarian Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 700g jar passata
- 6 tomatoes on the vine, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 3 medium aubergines, trimmed and finely sliced into rounds
- 500g tub fresh béchamel or cheese sauce
- 100g Grana Padano, grated
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a pan and gently cook the onion for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the passata, tomatoes, oregano and sugar. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and set aside.
- 2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the aubergine slices and simmer for 5 minutes, until soft but still holding their shape. Drain on kitchen paper.
- 3. Pour half the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 1.5-litre ovenproof dish. Top with half the aubergine and season to taste. Spoon over half the béchamel and half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining aubergine, sauce and béchamel. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling. Serve with a green salad.
Chef's tip
This simple aubergine dish is ideal for vegetarians, just omit the Grana Padano for vegetarian Parmesan.