Caponata Parmigiana

Created by my lovely sister @_foodbyfi

Ingredients:

3 aubergine, 1 onion diced, 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, half a jar of pitted Kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons of capers, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, 3 generous handfuls of grated parmesan, 2 balls of mozzarella, 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and a sprinkling of plain flour.

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/356°F.

Slice the aubergine into thin rounds and salt the pieces to draw out the moisture. This will take about 20 mins, remove any excess water with some kitchen roll and dust the aubergine rounds in flour.

Add a glug of olive oil to a frying pan and turn to a high heat, turn down the heat and add the sliced aubergine, frying until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from the heat and set on a plate to one side.

Add a splash more oil followed by the finely chopped onion, parsley stalks, olives, capers and red wine vinegar. Combine these ingredients and then add the tins of tomato. Turn up the heat to bring the mixture to a boil – this will reduce any excess water, allowing the sauce to thicken. Once the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in a handful of parsley.

In a baking dish distribute the aubergine rounds as evenly as possible so that most of the base is covered, follow enough spoonfuls of the sauce to cover the aubergine. Then add a layer of mozzarella and a handful of grated parmesan. Repeat the layering in this order until you’ve used all your ingredients. Add a final layer of both cheeses to the top and pop into your preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Once cooked, set aside for ten minutes before serving to allow the layers to set slightly.