Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/622858
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 6 JANUARY 2016 14 Food Aubergine – The versatile veg Aubergine, or eggplant to our neighbours to the West, is incredibly versatile. This substantial vegetable can easily stand in for meat in many recipes and is becoming the healthy go-to replacement for many ingredients that are not-so-good for you (or your waistline). Classic parmigiana with rosemary focaccia Focaccia • 1 x 7g sachet of dried yeast • 1kg strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting • 1 tsp sea salt • Quality extra virgin olive oil • 3 sprigs rosemary Parmigiana • 8 medium aubergines • 200g stale bread • 200g Parmesan cheese • 8 cloves of garlic • 1 bunch of fresh basil (30g) • Olive oil • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 300ml red wine • 4 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes • 125g fresh Mozarella cheese (or burrata) • 250g rocket • 1 lemon Method: 1. Whisk the yeast into 600ml of tepid water and leave for 5 minutes. 2. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and create a well in the middle. 3. Pour in the yeasty water and use a spoon to bring in the flour until it becomes too hard to mix, then bring it together with clean floured hands and knead for 5 minutes, or until elastic. 4. Finely chop the rosemary and add it to the dough, making sure it is evenly distributed. 5. Cover and leave in warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 6. Knock back the dough, then push it into a large roasting tray. 7. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and poke it all over with your fingertips, right to the bottom. 8. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then leave until doubled in size again. 9. While the bread is proving, preheat the oven to 180°C. 10. Slice the aubergines lengthways 1½ cm thick. Season generously with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 20 minutes. 11. Tear the bread into a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs, sprinkle over a large tray and bake for 10 mins. 12. Switch to the fine grater blade and whiz up the Parmesan. 13. Peel the garlic and finely slice with basil stalks, then fry in a large pan in medium heat with a splash of olive oil and the oregano until lightly golden. 14. Pour in the wine, bring to the boil and cook away, then squash in the tomatoes and add 1 tin's worth of water. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins. 15. Wipe the aubergine slices with kitchen paper and fry them in a little olive oil in batches in a large frying pan on a high heat for a few minutes on each side, or until golden. 16. Cover the base of a roasting tray with one-third of the aubergines, top with one-third each of the tomato sauce, basil leaves, breadcrumbs and Parmesan, then tear over a ball of mozzarella. 17. Repeat twice, then drizzle with a little olive oil. 18. Once the focaccia has doubled in size, very gently place it in the middle of the oven. 19. Place the parmigiana at the bottom of the oven and cook both for 40 mins, or until the focaccia is lightly golden and cooked through, and the parmigiana is bubbling. 20. When you remove the focaccia and parmigiana from the oven, drizzle the focaccia all over with at least another 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and leave the parmigiana to rest for 30 mins. 21. Serve the parmigiana in sandwiches in the focaccia, or serve the focaccia as a side. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 29 May, 2015. Ingredients: • 500g beef and pork mince • 2 cloves garlic • Handful parsley, chopped • 1 tsp dried thyme • 100g Parmesan • Handful breadcrumbs • Handful oats • 1 – 2 eggs • Salt and pepper • 2 long aubergines • Flour, for dusting • Olive oil, for frying Tomato and garlic sauce • Olive oil • 2 cloves garlic • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tin tomatoes • 2 tsbp sugar • Handful basil • Salt and pepper Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C. 2. Mix together the minced meat, garlic, parsley, thyme, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and oats and mix well. 3. Add one egg and if the mixture is still too dry add the other. 4. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 5. Top and tail the aubergines and cut into an even number of slices. 6. Place a large tablespoon of meat mixture on one slice and top with another slice. 7. Dust the aubergine burger in flour and gently fry on each side until the aubergines become golden. 8. To make the tomato sauce, heat some olive oil and fry the garlic on low heat for a few mins. 9. Add the vinegar and the tomatoes. 10. Add the basil, sugar, salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 20 mins. 11. Transfer the aubergine burgers to a baking tray and bake for 25 mins. 12. Serve aubergine burgers with tomato sauce and some more freshly chopped parsley. This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on TVM on 29 May, 2015. Aubergine burgers