Meatless Monday? What’s that..?! Just kidding.
If you’re looking for a comforting, filling dish that is also meatless and tasty, well this is the dish – Melanzane Parmiggiano.
It ticks all the boxes:
Tasty – check.
Rich and warm – check.
Cheesy – check.
Filling and comforting – check.
{Of course, you can also have it as a side dish with a scrummy roast chicken}

You will need:
2 large aubergines, sliced
Olive oil
Thyme
Tinned tomatoes
Tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
Sweet basil leaves, chopped
Parmesan cheese, grated
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Salt & pepper
Peppadew spice
Garlic, finely chopped {2 cloves}

Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and grill in a pan until both sides are golden. Once all the aubergine slices are cooked, set these aside.
Using the same pan {I hate doing dishes and loading the dishwasher, so I use as little pots & pans as possible!}, heat some more olive oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste {2 tbs} and let it all caramelise.
Add the tin of tomatoes, a few thyme sprigs and chopped basil. Season with salt & pepper and let it reduce slightly to a nice and rich tomato sauce.
Pre-heat your oven to 180C.
In a large casserole, place a layer of aubergine slices and season with peppadew spice. Add a layer of tomato sauce and sprinkle with both cheeses.
Add another layer of aubergines, season, add sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake this in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and has formed a golden brown crust.

Enjoy with a salad and a nice glass of vino! {No reason to go meatless AND wineless..!}
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