SPICY AUBERGINE BAKE WITH MOZZARELLA AND PECORINO CHEESE (Serves 6-8)
INGREDIENTS:
6 large aubergines (about 2kg in total); 5 eggs; 150g plain flour; 300ml olive oil; 350g grated mozzarella cheese; 150g finely grated pecorino cheese; sea salt flakes
For the sauce: 4tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 1.4L tomato passata; 4tbsp chilli oil, or to taste; 20 basil leaves; 250g mascarpone cheese; fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: 1.
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 2.5mm slices. Place in a sieve, sprinkle over some sea salt flakes (fine salt would be absorbed) and leave over the sink for an hour to drain off excess liquid.
2. For the sauce: Fry the onion in olive oil in a pan over a medium heat for eight minutes, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour in the passata and chilli oil, then add the basil, one and a half teaspoons of fine salt and one teaspoon of pepper and stir for two minutes.
3. Add the mascarpone, stir to combine all the ingredients, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, then add in a bit more chilli oil if you want a stronger kick. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4.
5. Pat the aubergine slices dry on kitchen paper. Put the eggs, 1tsp fine salt and ½tsp of pepper into a medium bowl and beat well. Pour the flour on to a medium flat tray. Dip aubergine slices in the flour, then in, the egg to coat all over. Heat 10tsp of the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergine until golden on both sides, about two minutes each side. Work in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
7. Drain off excess oil on kitchen paper. After three batches have been browned, add the remaining olive oil to the frying pan and heat until very hot. Continue to fry the remaining aubergine slices, again transferring them on to kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
8. Layer one third of the aubergine in a rectangular oven dish, measuring about 30 x 25cm. Spoon three ladles of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle over 100g mozzarella and 50g pecorino. Repeat the process twice more. You’ll have a little more than three ladles left of the tomato sauce and 50g mozzarella to make a last layer; this extra sauce on top is absorbed through the dish while it cooks and keeps it extra moist.
9. Sprinkle over a pinch of pepper and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 30 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about five minutes before portioning. Serve with some crusty ciabatta and salad. Just like mamma used to make.