Italian Vegetarian Cooking : Vegetables

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Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 90 minutes
Style: Italian Vegetarian

2 big oblong eggplants thinly sliced lengthwise
4 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 teaspoon(s) finely chopped or grated garlic
1 onion(s) finely chopped
½ teaspoon(s) mild paprika pepper
½ cup(s) dry red wine
1 cup(s) vegetable stock
4 large tomatoes blanched and chopped
2 teaspoon(s) tomato puree
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh oregano
1 cup(s) thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoon(s) grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
fresh basil leaves to garnish

Place the eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle some salt. Place some heavy weight on the eggplant slices and place the colander over a bowl for the water to drain. Keep for about 25 minutes. Quite a bit of water will be drawn out of the eggplant slices.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce heat half the olive oil in a pan and saute the chopped onions and garlic on low heat for about 4 minutes or till the onions are soft. Take care not to brown them.
Stir in the red wine, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and stock. Bring to a boil on medium heat and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes or till the sauce thickens. Stir in the fresh oregano and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Dry the eggplant slices thoroughly with a clean cloth. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large grilling pan so as to hold all the eggplant slices in a single layer. If using a smaller grilling pan, grill the eggplant slices in batches for about 6 minutes flipping the slices midway or till each side is golden and cooked.
Pour half the tomato and red wine sauce into the base of an oven-proof dish. Arrange a layer of half the eggplant slices to cover well. Top with the mozzarella slices. Arrange a layer of the remaining eggplant slices and pour all of the tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese to cover well. Bake in a preheated oven at 200^oC / 400^oF for about 30 minutes or till bubbling.

TIPS:
Eggplants are known by different names like; aubergines, brinjals and melanzane in different parts of the world.
Sugar may be added to the tomato and red wine sauce if it is sour.
The eggplant slices can be cooked golden on each side on a frying pan instead of a grilling pan.
Fresh herbs can be substituted with comparitively lesser amounts of dry ones.
The amount of cheese can be increased if desired specially if children love it.

Serve hot garnished with: leaves of fresh basil

Vegetarian Italian Cooking

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Vegetarian Italian Cooking

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Eggplant Parmigiana
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