Aubergine parmigiana

Soft, roasted aubergine slices layer up with a rich, sweet and tangy tomato sauce, bubbling mozzarella and a golden, herby crumb. Each mouthful delivers a wonderful contrast of silky vegetables, melted cheese and that classic, comforting Italian flavour.

This aubergine parmigiana gets a Nutri-Score of E due to the high fat content from the generous amount of olive oil, mozzarella and Parmesan combined with moderate carbohydrates.

Per serving (approximate): 620 kcal, 42g fat (of which 22g saturates), 28g carbohydrates, 14g sugars, 9g fibre, and 26g protein.

Method

Make the Tomato Sauce (40 mins – can be done well ahead of time)

1. Soften the base – Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and garlic, then let them gently fry for 10 minutes until they are completely soft and sweet. Taking your time here really builds a great depth of flavour for the aubergine parmigiana.
2. Add sweetness and tang – Stir in the caster sugar along with the red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Let the mixture bubble away for a minute or two until the liquid reduces slightly and becomes wonderfully syrupy.
3. Simmer the tomatoes – Toss in the bay leaf, dried oregano and the basil stalks (save the leaves for later), then pour in the chopped tomatoes. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and leave it to cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and reduces.
4. Season and finish – Taste the sauce and season it well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fish out and discard the basil stalks and the bay leaf, then stir in the fresh basil leaves to keep that lovely vibrant green colour.

Fry the Aubergines (15 mins – overlap with the last 15 mins of sauce simmering)

5. Cook the aubergine slices – Pour the remaining olive oil into a separate frying pan and get it nice and hot over a medium-high heat. Fry the sliced aubergines in batches on both sides until they are beautifully coloured on the outside and completely softened right through. Set them aside on a plate ready for layering.

Assemble and Bake (40 mins – mostly hands-off in the oven)

6. Preheat the oven – Make sure your oven is up to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 so it is ready to go as soon as your aubergine parmigiana is built.
7. Build the layers – Grab your 25cm/10in ovenproof rectangular dish and start layering up the goodness. Begin with a thin layer of the tomato sauce, then arrange a layer of fried aubergines on top, and scatter over a handful of grated Parmesan. Keep repeating these alternating layers of sauce, aubergine and Parmesan until you have used everything up.
8. Add the fresh toppings – Lay the sliced mozzarella and the sliced beef tomatoes evenly over the very top layer. Scatter over the chopped fresh oregano, a final generous grating of Parmesan, and finish with a thorough sprinkling of the fresh white breadcrumbs to give it a lovely golden crust.
9. Bake until golden – Pop the dish into the hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. You are looking for the top to turn a gorgeous golden brown and for the mozzarella to be completely melted and bubbling. Let the dish sit for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving – it will be incredibly hot and the layers will hold together much better when you scoop it out.

Additional Notes

If you have the time, salting the sliced aubergines for 15 minutes before frying and patting them dry with kitchen paper helps to draw out excess moisture. This means they will absorb less oil in the pan and result in a richer but less greasy aubergine parmigiana. This dish also reheats brilliantly the next day, making it a fantastic option for meal prep or a relaxed weekend lunch.