ROASTED BRINJAL BAKE

Heat the oven on high grill 

Slice the brinjals into 10mm thick rounds 

Lay each round flat on a grid, salt and allow to stand for 20 min to draw out the juices

Pat dry, turn over, and repeat on the other side

On low heat, gently heat some olive oil and the crushed garlic in a pot

Stir, add the chopped sage and cayenne, and cook for a minute

Add the tomato puree, passata and wine, stir, and with the lid on bring to the boil

Salt, reduce the heat, and allow to simmer gently with the lid on for 30 min stirring occasionally so that the tomato does not stick to the bottom of the pan. The sauce must have a rich, thick consistency

Place the brinjal rounds on an oiled baking tray, sprinkle on olive oil, and cook beneath the grill for 5min 

Remove from the oven, turn the brinjal rounds and cook for another 5 minutes

Place the oven rack in the centre of the oven and change the oven setting to 220ºC bake 

Slice the tomato and drained mozzarella balls into 5mm rounds and pat out the moisture using a paper towel

In an oven proof dish, lay at an angle, a slice of brinjal, a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato

Repeat this process, forming 2 -3 rows next to each other until they are all used

Pour over the tomato sauce, and sprinkle a thick layer of the parmigiano to cover

Bake for 20 minutes or till the cheese has melted 

Remove the dish from the oven 

Place the rack below the grill and change the oven setting to grill (210ºC)  

Grill the aubergine dish under the grill until the cheese is bubbling and a nice caramel colour