Shopping list for 4 persons
4 large beef tomatoes, firm but ripe
salt & freshly ground black pepper
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
a shallot, chopped finely
1 red onion, chopped finely
a handful of fresh basil
30 grams of flour
300 grams of eggplant, sliced
1 free-range egg lightly beaten
200g mozzarella
Fresh vegetables by Rechtstreex
A delicious vegetarian starter, these lovely vine tomatoes filled with eggplant (Rechtstreex) and cheese among other things.
Here is how to make Parmigiana alle Melanzane
Preheat the oven to 200°C
Cut the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out.
Sprinkle the inside with salt.
Keep the tomato tops and the tomato pulp.*
Fry the chopped shallot soft in olive oil in +/- 3 minutes.
*Place the tomatoes for 10 minutes upside down on paper towels to drain.
Add the pulp and half of the basil. Stir together until combined.*
Wash the eggplants and cut them into round slices.
Cover the slices in flour, shake the excess flour off.
*Fry the tomato mixture on medium heat and let it - with the lid half on - thicken for 20 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally.
Fry the eggplant in 30 ml olive oil for +/- 3 minutes on each side.
Cut the mozzarella in round slices to fit the tomatoes.*
Place the tomatoes in an oven dish, fill them with eggplant.
Top the eggplant with tomato sauce, then basil and mozzarella.
*Remove the eggplant from the pan, drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.
Repeat the layers until the tomatoes are full then place back the tops.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil on the tomatoes.
Place the tomatoes 15-20 minutes into the oven until soft.
Serve the tomatoes piping hot, straight from the oven.
Place a tomato on each plate and garnish with the remaining basil.