The smartest aubergines of the summer, it almost seems like a parmigiana but without frying anything: crunchy on top and inside everything remains soft and stringy
The smartest aubergines of the summer, it almost seems like a parmigiana but without frying anything: crunchy on top and inside everything remains soft and stringy
These eggplant gratin with tomato and mozzarella are a cross between a simple parmigiana and a simple pan-fridge-cleaning dish, but much simpler. Looking at the photos, the result should be exactly like this: a golden crust of breadcrumbs and cheese on top , a soft tomato underneath, and a stringy scamorza in the middle that stretches when you cut the slice. There’s no need to fry anything, which in my opinion is already a big plus. The eggplant comes out flavorful, creamy in the center, and slightly crunchy on top.
Aubergines au gratin with tomato and mozzarella : stringy inside and crunchy on top, it almost seems like parmigiana
Times
Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 35-40 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour
Portions
For 4 people .
Nutritional values
The values may change based on the quantity of oil , the type of scamorza and the grated cheese used.
Per 100 g approximately:
Calories: 115-140 kcal
Protein: 6-8 g
Carbohydrates: 8-10 g
Fat: 7-9 g
Per serving approximately:
Calories: 280-350 kcal
Protein: 16-20 g
Carbohydrates: 20-25 g
Fat: 17-22 g
Ingredients
1 kg aubergines
250 ml tomato puree
80 g cooked ham
100 g thinly sliced scamorza cheese
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons grated cheese
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Oregano to taste
Salt to taste
You can also use well-drained mozzarella, but scamorza remains drier and stretches better without releasing too much water.
Preparation
1. Cut the aubergines
Wash the aubergines , remove the ends, and cut them into moderately thick slices, lengthwise, or into large rounds. Try to make them fairly similar in size so they all cook at the same rate.
2. Cook the aubergines first.
Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil , a pinch of salt , and bake at 200°C for about 20 minutes . They should soften, but not dry out.
3. Prepare the breadcrumbs:
In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese , a little oregano , and, if you like, a drizzle of oil. The mixture should be sandy and fragrant.
4. Season the tomato sauce.
Pour the tomato puree into a bowl and season with salt, oregano, and a drizzle of oil. There’s no need to cook it first, as it will finish flavoring in the oven.
5. Make the first layer
: Spread some tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Add a layer of aubergines , then a few spoonfuls of passata, the cooked ham , and the scamorza slices .
6. Complete the pan.
Cover with more eggplant slices, a little more tomato, and finish with the breadcrumbs and cheese coating . Drizzle a little oil on top to make it brown better.
7. Bake and gratinate.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15-20 minutes , until the surface is golden brown and the scamorza is melted. If you want a more intense crust, grill for the last 2 minutes.
Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving, so the filling can settle and the cut is cleaner. They’re stringy, flavorful, and taste just like a quick parmigiana, but without frying.
