Recipe for Melanzane
 

Chloe’s recipe

Ingredients (serves 4): Use a baking dish approx 20x12cm ♦ 3 aubergines ♦ 100g plain flour ♦ 300g mozzarella, finely sliced ♦ 100g Parmesan, finely grated ♦ 1-2 large handfuls basil, shredded ♦ 2tsp dried oregano ♦ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ♦ 3tbsp olive oil, ideally in a spray bottle ♦ 2tbsp 100 per cent cacao chocolate, finely grated. Tomato sauce: 2x400g tins of quality Italian tomatoes ♦ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ♦ 2tbsp olive oil ♦ Salt.

METHOD Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180C. Peel and slice the aubergine approximately into 1cm slices. Cover with salt and leave to one side for about 30min. Wash and pat the slices dry. Coat them in the flour. Spray the olive oil on to the aubergine slices and fry on a medium heat until golden. Wrap in kitchen paper to absorb the oil so they’re not greasy. Set aside.

Step 2: In a separate pan, fry the garlic in olive oil for 2min. Add the tomatoes and simmer very gently. Sprinkle in ½tsp salt to taste. Depending on your tomatoes, you may need 1tsp sugar and some more salt. Simmer and reduce gently for 30min. Purée with a blender.

Step 3: In your baking dish, pour in a layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle a little oregano and plenty of shredded basil leaves, black pepper and sea salt. Then add a layer of aubergines. Cover the aubergines with a layer of mozzarella. Spoon a little tomato sauce on the cheese and sprinkle with some Parmesan. Repeat the process until it’s finished and you end up with a layer of tomato, the mozzarella and Parmesan. Sprinkle with chocolate and a little olive oil. Place in oven and bake for 35min. Serve once cooled down a little.