Month: October 2019

Today I am sharing with you one of my all-time favourite dishes – aubergine parmigiana. This Italian classic is a knock-out dish whether you are vegetarian or not, making it a great way to get more vegetables in your diet. For a dish that has such depth of flavour it is surprisingly easy to make.
I’ve made a few healthy tweaks to the recipe but without sacrificing the richness and flavour that I associate with the dish. First I have used a lot less parmesan than most recipes suggest. I reserve this for the top of the dish.
Most parmigiana recipes involve frying the aubergines in huge quantities of oil. This is because aubergines will soak up oil like a sponge. It is this oil which helps to give the dish such a rich taste. In my version I retain some of the oiliness but add this to the tomato sauce after cooking to boost the health benefits (by avoiding heating the oil at very high temperatures).

A lot of recipes also advise pre-salting the aubergine for at least an hour before cooking. My version doesn’t require salting but it does include capers. I’m pretty sure this is not authentic but caper berries add in some of the saltiness that I have skipped by not salting the aubergine itself. They are also little nutrient powerhouses, packed full of anti-oxidants and they taste GREAT.