This is another great recipe from Mary. If you are a fan of her pesto sauce, you are going to love this one! In case you don’t have nice fresh tomatoes at hand or if they are not in season yet, you can use the canned fresh tomato sauce. Just add the onion and the pesto sauce or even just fresh basil leaves will do.
Italian style eggplant gratin
26 May 2021
: Serves 6 to 8
: 30 min
: 30 min
: 1 hr
: Easy but takes a little time
When you follow the recipe for the first time, it may seem a little long. But once you have served it and you see the level of appreciation, it’s really worth making it again! So, roll up your sleeves, this one is a winner!
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 medium size eggplants
- 2 to 3 mozzarella packs
- 400 g of ripe tomatoes (or a 190 g canned fresh tomato sauce)
- Olive oil
- 250 g shredded or very thinly sliced Serrano ham
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 30 g of grated parmesan cheese
- 3 TBS pesto sauce (preferably Mary’s)
Directions
- Step 1 Slice the eggplants lengthwise and apply a little bit of oil with your fingertips or with a brush on each side. Pre-heat the oven to 200°. Place the eggplant slices in a baking dish for about 40 minutes to soften. Allow some time to cool off as you will need to roll them up with your fingers.
- Step 2 Thinly slice the mozzarella and add ground black pepper. Set aside. Lay the eggplant flat and cover each slice with thinly cut mozzarella and a thin layer of Serrano ham. Roll up the preparation and set each log side by side in the gratin dish. Set aside.
- Step 3 Peel and cut the tomatoes into cubes and cook them on low heat for about 20 minutes to get a tasty stew. Add ground black pepper and stir often. Chop the onion, fry it in a little bit of olive oil, and add it to the tomato stew. Stir, cook some more and then add the pesto sauce. Stir to combine all the flavors and pour the preparation on top of the eggplant logs. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan and bake for another 30 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 220°. Enjoy your Eggplant o’ Gratin warm or cold.
Good to know!
