This is a classic vegetable dish from southern Italy. Eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese are layered and baked together. It is filling, comforting, and naturally vegetarian.
😌 Difficulty: Medium
⏱️ Preparation time: 30 min
🔥 Cooking time: 40 min
⏳ Total time: 1 h 10 min
👥 Servings: 3-4
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 500 g tomato passata (smooth tomato sauce)
- 200 g mozzarella (soft melting cheese), sliced
- 40 g Parmesan (hard cheese), grated
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- Cut eggplants into long slices, about 1 cm thick.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for 15 minutes to remove bitterness.
- Dry the slices with kitchen paper.
- Heat a pan with olive oil and cook eggplant slices until soft and lightly golden. Set aside.
- Warm the tomato passata in a small pot with salt and pepper for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a baking dish.
- Add a layer of eggplant, then mozzarella, then Parmesan.
- Repeat layers until everything is used.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving.