This is Mediterranean summer food. This is the food that I want to eat when I’ve taken so much sun that I’m squinting in the shade. This is food to eat when the sun is burning hot, but the European sea is still so cold it takes your breath away on the first dip. This is food to eat with a very, very cold glass of white wine, in fact with a carafe that is constantly replenished. This is food to eat with a big loaf of crusty bread in the middle of the table to pull hunks off, with people friendly enough to fare scarpetta – mop up the juices with bread – without inhibition. This is food that makes me miss Italy, its produce, its abundance and its summers.
Aubergine and courgette gratin
Serves 3 as main course, 4 as a side or light lunch. Adapted from Lucas Hollweg in the Sunday Times (subscription only, the capitalist bastards)
- 1 medium aubergine
- 3 courgettes
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 150g tomato sauce (or passata, or tinned toms, or 4 fresh)
- 1 small handful basil
- 50g grated parmesan
Chop the aubergine into chunks about 1 inch square and toss in a colander with a tablespoon of salt – leave in the sink as they release their juices for 30 minutes or so. Then rinse them and pat dry with kitchen towel. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Meanwhile, use a mandoline to make lengthwise thin ribbons with the courgettes. Put in a bowl, mix in a glug of olive oil and a fat pinch of salt, and leave aside. Chop or slice the onion and sauté in olive oil until softened and starting to colour a little. Turn up the heat and add a bit more olive oil, add the aubergine to the pan and cook until softened and browning. Then add the tomatoes – if you’re using a homemade sauce, you just need to cook for a few minutes to bring it all together. Passata, tinned or fresh will need to be cooked down a little bit more, maybe 10 minutes or so, to bring out their flavour. At the end, tear the basil leaves and stir them in.
Grease a small baking dish (mine was 15x20cm, so half as big as the “standard” sort of size). Assemble the gratin by lining it with a layer of courgette ribbons, then a layer of the aubergine mixture, then a grating of pasta. Repeat using all the ingredients, finishing like a lasagne with a layer of courgettes and an extra big grating of parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes until browned on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
2 Comments on "Aubergine and courgette gratin"
This looks DELICIOUS. in fact just the kind of food i want to eat right now, let alone after a day in the sun. I think it’s a good any time food.
Basically, I generally love any food I can dip bread in, or spread on bread. So clearly this had to be a winner :0)