Delightful Eggplant (aubergine) Bake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 3 large eggplants
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 (400 g) can chopped tomatoes
• 6 cherry tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 300 ml milk
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 150 g buffalo mozzarella, thickly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 400°f or 200°c.
• 2 trim the eggplants and slice into 1/2 cm thick rounds.
• 3 in a bowl or large plate, sprinkle slices with salt and leave for 15 minutes.
• 4 meanwhile, line two baking sheets with tin foil and oil lightly with some of the olive oil.
• 5 when eggplants are ready, wash or brush off the salt and lay the slices next to one another on the trays.
• 6 brush tops lightly with olive oil before putting in the oven for 10 minutes.
• 7 take out, turn over and bake for a further five minutes or until all the slices are soft and lightly browned.
• 8 while the eggplant is cooking, use remaining oil to fry the onion and celery in a frying pan or saucepan.
• 9 after 1-2 minutes add the water, canned and fresh tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, thyme and garlic.
• 10 simmer until sauce is quite thick and dry, about 5 minutes.
• 11 the last thing to make is the sauce.
• 12 in a small pot, melt the butter.
• 13 stir in the flour and mix until blended.
• 14 then add the milk and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• 15 now for the final step- assembly!
• 16 put a little bit of tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish (lined with tin foil for easy clean up).
• 17 add a layer of eggplant, a layer of tomato sauce, some basil and then some sauce.
• 18 season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• 19 continue with another layer of eggplant, tomato sauce and so on, making sure to keep enough sauce at the end to finish off the dish.
• 20 once you have poured over the last of the sauce, top with slices of mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden.