Aubergine Gratin Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat 11 /2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the aubergines in batches, browning on both sides, then lower the heat and cook until they are soft. You will need to add more olive oil as you cook, but try not to add too much. (Roast the aubergines if you prefer - brush them with olive oil, place on baking sheets and cook for about 15 mins. I just like the texture better if they are fried for this.) Season them while they're cooking. As each batch is ready, remove from the pan and lay them on a double layer of kitchen paper.
• Heat another 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and add the onions. Cook over a medium heat until softening, about 10-12 mins, then add the garlic and cook for another few mins.
• Slice the potatoes very, very finely. It's best to do this on a mandolin if you have one - it takes more work (and a lot more time) to cut them with a knife.
• Brush the bottom of a gratin dish with olive oil, and arrange the vegetables in layers. Start with half the potatoes, then half the aubergine, onions and tomatoes. Sprinkle the thyme, lemon zest, goat's cheese, olives and seasoning, along with little drizzles of olive oil on the layers as you go. Add another layer of aubergine, onions and tomatoes, again adding the other ingredients as you go. Finish with the rest of the potatoes, arranging them neatly on top. Brush with olive oil and bake for 45 mins. The gratin should be soft, the potatoes tender and the top golden.

Steps:

• Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes. Turn and bake 7-8 minutes longer or until lightly browned and tender. Cool on a wire rack., Place one eggplant slice in each of two 10-oz. ramekins coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce and 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan and cook the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and pepperoncino, and cook 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes and cook to a thick, chunky sauce, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and stir in the fresh herbs.
• While the sauce cooks, brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet (you'll need to work in batches). Bake until golden and soft, about 15 minutes; turn and bake the other side, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C. Mix together the breadcrumbs with the chili powder.
• In a large gratin dish, starting with just the thinnest smear of tomato sauce over the bottom, layer in the eggplant, then sauce, then breadcrumbs. Repeat until the dish is full. Scatter the Parmesan over top. Bake until the gratin is heated through, and the top golden, about 30 minutes. Serve.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan. Add the onion, season with salt and saute on a medium heat until they turn translucent and golden.
• Whilst the onion is cooking prep the aubergine. Place the sliced aubergine into a colander and season with salt, leave to drain.
• Add the crushed garlic and mixed herbs to the cooking onions. If you don't have mixed herbs specifically, simply use any favourite herby flavours that you have in; thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil and marjoram will all work well. A chuck it in approach will always work with sauce like this as long as you limit the herbs to 1tsp- any more will give it a noticeable grainy texture.
• Add mushrooms and courgette, cook for 5 minutes or until they are slightly browned.
• Add the chopped tomatoes with a splash of water. Mix in and simmer over a medium heat until you have your desired consistency. 5 minutes of simmering was enough for me.
• Whilst these are cooking, take the aubergine slices, rinse with water, press moisture out with kitchen roll and add to a hot frying pan which has been lightly brushed with oil. Light spray oil (diet types) work well for this also, use too much oil and the aubergine will go soggy. The point here is to get the aubergine dried out and to bring out some of the flavour, so that once they go into the gratin they won't instantly turn to mush (the only part of this dish that can go so wrong it ruins it). Brown on both sides and set aside.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sugar and Tabasco now if you're using it.
• You're ready to layer up the gratin! intermittently layer aubergine with a thin covering of sauce- I sprinkle a tiny bit of Parmesan shavings between layers. The dish fills up pretty quickly, I normally manage to squeeze in 3 layers of aubergine. When you get to the top layer of sauce, cover it with a layer of courgette circles and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan, keeping a tiny sprinkle aside for when it comes out of the oven. The dryness of the courgette gives the Parmesan the chance to crisp up, if you want the cheesy bit gooey then skip out the courgette.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes on around 180 C/ Gas mark 4. The top wants to be lightly browned.
• Serve with your sides of choice. So filling and contrary to my waffling instructions, actually very easy!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Preheat a grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Grill eggplant slices until cooked through and evenly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Mix half-and-half, egg, ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in each of 2 individual gratin dishes. Sprinkle each with 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Spoon half the marinara sauce into each dish. Top each with a second layer of eggplant slices, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place the dishes on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the custard sets and the top is browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
• Trim and peel eggplants, cutting into thick (1 1/4-inch) slices, leaving you with about 8 slices.
• Pour first portion of olive oil onto large baking sheet, coating evenly.
• Press slices into oil and sprinkle with half the salt.
• Turn and repeat with remaining salt.
• Bake for 30 minutes, until eggplant is very soft.
• Meanwhile, place bread, herbs, and garlic into food processor and run for 15- 20 seconds.
• Transfer crumb mixture to bowl and toss lightly with remaining olive oil.
• When eggplant is removed from oven, spoon crumbs on top of them.
• This dish can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.
• 10 minutes before serving, preheat broiler.
• Place the dish so that the stuffing is about 6-8 inches away from broiler unit.
• Broil 5-6 minutes, until topping is browned.