Aubergine/ eggplant/ brinjal is a very unique vegetable and holds a special place in my heart. Aubergine has a brilliant violet colour skin, which has a strong appeal in plating, the flesh has its natural sweetness and easily absorbs the flavours it is paired with it. The best part of it that it can be braised, grilled, smoked, roasted, fried, stuffed and other cooking methods and with various cooking methods it texture can be manipulated. In this post I am trying to give a vegetarian spin off of classic lasagna with aubergine. The recipe takes 45 preparation time and 1 hour cooking time.
Ingredients:
- Large aubergine — 2
- Marinara Sauce — 1.5 cups
- Mozzarella — 1.5 cups
- Cheddar — 1 + 1 cup**
- Provolone — 1/2 cup**
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- High Fat Milk — 2 cups
- Spinach blanched and chopped — 1 cup
- Sliced olives — 1/2 cup
- Flour 2 tbsp + breading
- Egg (for breading)
- Panko breadcrumbs (for breading)
- Basil and parsley as per taste
- Salt and pepper as per paste.
- Oil for grilling and deep frying.
Procedure:
a. Preparing bechamel sauce:
- Warm butter in a sauce pan and add flour when it.
- Keep moving the roux till you get a light yellow colour and toasty smell.
- Slowly add milk while whisking it to create a smooth thick sauce. Season it.
- Switch off the flame and add 1 cup cheddar cheese.
- Add spinach to bechamel suce.
b. Aubergine:
- Slice aubergine in rounds of 1/2 inch thickness (They may seem big but aubergine losses a lot of water and size) and season lightly to draw some water out. Flavour it with your seasoning (very lightly) as per your like
- Separate the aubergine in two parts.
- Grill one part on a hot grill.
- With the second part dust it with flour, dip it in eggwash and bread it with panko (season the panko with salt, pepper and herbs)
- Fry the breaded aubergine. (They are a great snack!!!)
Baking:
- Layer the fried aubergine on a baking dish.
- Pour some marinara followed by a sprinkle of of blend of mozzarella, provolone, and cheddar and spread some herbs.
- Layer the grilled aubergine over the cheese followed by a layer of bechamel sauce and topping with olives.
- Layer it with fried aubergine and repeat the layering.
- On the top layer sprinkle generously wit cheese, olive oil and bread crumbs.
- Bake it for 7-10 minutes followed by broiling it for 5 mins to get beautiful, golden and melted crust. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve fresh out of oven.
This recipe offers a flexible ingredients and easy preparations. You add other textures from vegetables, exchange cottage cheese in place of bechamel, add meat in marinara and tweak seasoning as per your choice. Yet being simple, the dish offers your taste-buds a roller-coaster and your friends and family an irresistible story. Prepare an amazing side to your Italian dinner or serve as a snack on tea.
I would like hear about your views and please share your dish with me.
GupShup Foodie 