The aubergine is a typical summer vegetable and is very versatile as it can be a side dish, a main course and even a main dish. It is a fleshy vegetable with a characteristic and rather pungent flavour. It should only be eaten cooked as raw it is unpalatable and even toxic.
It has the property of absorbing dietary fat very well, enabling the preparation of rich and tasty dishes. It is low in calories and low in fat, so it can also be used in diets. Now to the recipes, which are many and all tasty and delicious.
The thing to do before eating aubergines is to cut them into slices and place them for some time in coarse salt and possibly with a weight on top as this removes much of the vegetable's bitter taste.
The best known nationally, but not only, is the aubergine parmigiana, a complete and excellent second course.
Aubergine parmigiana
Ingredients for the aubergine parmigiana
4 medium-sized fresh aubergines
gr 400 of mozzarella
1.5 litres of tomato puree
gr 130 of grated cheese (parmesan or grana padano)
1 shallot
plenty of oil for frying
coarse salt 1 kg
fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil to taste
a few tablespoons of flour
Preparing the aubergine parmigiana
After we have prepared our aubergines as already explained and after washing and drying them, flour them lightly and fry them in plenty of seed oil until golden brown. Once removed from the oil, pass them on blotting paper to remove excess oil.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce by chopping the shallot very finely and browning it in olive oil. As soon as it is golden, add the tomato puree, salt and pepper, a few leaves of fresh basil and leave to cook for about ten minutes or until it has thickened.
Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into slices. Everything is now ready for our parmigiana.
Take an oven dish and after pouring a little oil on the bottom, put a couple of tablespoons of our tomato puree sauce. On top place the aubergines until they cover the surface of the dish. Now a nice sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese and a layer of mozzarella.
We continue adding layers in this order until we run out of ingredients. In the last layer put only the tomato puree and lots of grated cheese on top of the aubergines. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve just out of the oven.
Baked aubergines
Needed for the baked aubergines
1 kg aubergines
200 g ripe tomatoes, skinned and seeded
3 basil leaves, chopped
a tablespoon of capers
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt, pepper and olive oil to taste
Preparing the baked aubergines
Cut the aubergines in half, lengthways, and make small cuts in the skin, add coarse salt and leave for two to three hours. After washing and drying them, prepare the seasoning.
Put in the fairly finely chopped tomatoes the chopped garlic, parsley, basil and capers also chopped. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil and this mixture is placed on top of the aubergines that have been placed in the oven tray with a little olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees for about an hour. These aubergines are good both hot and cold.
Aubergines with Bolognese sauce
Ingredients for aubergines bolognese with Bolognese sauce
grams 500 of aubergines
grams 600 of Bolognese ragout (see recipe in the article typical recipes from Emilia Romagna)
grams 300 of caciotta or stringy cheese
grams 100 of sliced cooked ham
grated parmesan cheese, salt, olive oil, flour and enough oil for frying
Preparing aubergines with Bolognese sauce
Prepare the aubergines in the usual way, cut them into slices and put them in salt. Once ready, wash and dry the aubergine slices and after lightly flouring, fry in seed oil. Dry the slices and start arranging them in an oven dish, in layers.
Start with a layer of aubergine covered with Bolognese sauce, the second layer with aubergine and ham and cheese. Continue like this until the end of the ingredients, leaving the last layer on top of the aubergines, the Bolognese sauce, a few curls of butter and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes.
Simple aubergines bolognese
Ingredients for simple aubergines bolognese
5 aubergines
grams 100 diced raw ham
grams 50 of diced mortadella
1 onion
grams 400 chopped peeled tomatoes
grams 50 of butter
flour, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Preparing simple aubergines bolognese
Prepare the aubergines in the usual way, cut into slices and put in salt.
Once ready, wash, dry the aubergine slices and after lightly flouring, fry in seed oil. Remove excess oil with paper towels.
Prepare the seasoning. In a pan, fry the finely chopped onion in butter and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. As soon as it is golden brown, add the ham and mortadella and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the peeled chopped tomatoes and cook for about ten minutes. When the sauce has reduced a little, add the sliced aubergines and cook for a few more minutes.
Serve if you like with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Stuffed aubergines Ligurian style
Ingredients for the stuffed aubergines Ligurian style
4 aubergines
100 g Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic
grams 120 of fresh mushrooms
grams 30 of breadcrumbs
oregano, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and olive oil to taste
Preparation of the stuffed aubergines Ligurian style
First clean, wash and chop the mushrooms. The aubergines should be boiled in plenty of salted water. Once cooked al dente, cut each aubergine into two parts lengthways.
Remove part of the central pulp with a spoon, Blend this pulp with a blender together with the garlic and mushroom pieces, then add the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, two tablespoons of breadcrumbs, two tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs.
Adjust salt and pepper and stuff the aubergines with this mixture. Place the aubergines in a baking dish with a little olive oil and sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs and oregano.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes.
Aubergines Sardinian style
What you need for the aubergines sarda style
4 aubergines
2 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
500 g ripe tomatoes, skinned and seeded and cut into small pieces
olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Preparing aubergines Sardinian style
Prepare the aubergines in the usual way, i.e. cut into slices and put in salt for a few hours. Once ready, washed and dried, prepare the dressing.
In a bowl put the tomatoes cut into small pieces with the chopped parsley, the two chopped garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and leave for about twenty minutes to macerate.
After this time has passed, take a baking tray and after having put two tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom, start putting the aubergines in a layer, on top put the mixture with the tomatoes and the aubergines again, continue like this until the ingredients are finished.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 50 minutes. They are good both hot and cold.
Aubergine meatballs
Ingredients for the aubergine meatballs
grams 600 aubergines
grams 100 of grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
grams 100 of breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
parsley, salt and enough seed oil for frying
Preparing the aubergine meatballs
First bake the aubergines in the oven on a baking tray with baking paper at 200 degrees for about an hour. Once cooked and cooled, remove the skin and with a mixer chop finely and add the parsley, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic and breadcrumbs.
Form a fairly firm mixture and from this form small balls about 4 cm in diameter. Coat the meatballs in flour and bake in plenty of seed oil. Alternatively, bake the meatballs in the oven after dipping them in breadcrumbs in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes.
