Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
ingredients
serves 4
4 medium-sized eggplants, sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt
freshly ground black pepper
flour for coating
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cups cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter
FOR THE SAUCE
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
14 ounce canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
method
1. Put the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Fry the onion until softened.
3. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, basil and seasoning to taste and bring to the boil, stirring well. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with absorbent paper. Coat the slices with flour.
6. Heat half the oil in a frying-pan and fry the eggplant slices in batches until browned on both sides. Add more of the oil as needed.
7. Make a layer of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle with some of the cheese, then cover with a layer of eggplant slices.
8. Continue making layers in this way, ending with sauce sprinkled with cheese. Scatter over the breadcrumbs and dot with the butter.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the eggplants are tender.
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