Style: October 07, 2022
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<strong>Style</strong> | Food 45<br />
Parmigiana pie with<br />
tomato sauce<br />
The much-loved Italian-American ‘eggplant parm’ is the inspiration for this dish with layers of breaded aubergine,<br />
tomato sauce and cheese, but with a slightly different take here. If you can’t find kataifi pastry for the topping,<br />
feel free to use filo instead and thinly slice it into julienne strips using scissors. This pie requires a little bit<br />
of love to make, but is well worth the effort for an impressive meatless centrepiece.<br />
SERVES<br />
4<br />
PREP TIME<br />
35 MINUTES<br />
COOK TIME<br />
2 HOURS<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
• 1kg aubergines, trimmed and cut<br />
lengthways into 1–1½cm-thick<br />
slices (about 4–5 per aubergine)<br />
• 70g plain flour<br />
• 2 large eggs plus 3 large yolks<br />
• 2 tablespoons milk or water<br />
• 225g fine dried breadcrumbs<br />
(we use Paxo)<br />
• 105ml olive oil<br />
• 40g kataifi pastry, defrosted and<br />
roughly cut into 2–3cm lengths<br />
• 75g pecorino romano (or<br />
Parmesan), finely grated<br />
• 300g buffalo mozzarella, drained<br />
of any water and thinly sliced<br />
• salt and black pepper<br />
Tomato sauce<br />
• 120ml olive oil<br />
• 2 onions, peeled and finely<br />
chopped (180g)<br />
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and<br />
crushed<br />
• 2 teaspoons Aleppo chilli<br />
• 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />
• 1½ tablespoons ground cumin<br />
• 2 tins of plum tomatoes (800g),<br />
crushed by hand<br />
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar<br />
• 30g fresh coriander, roughly<br />
chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Line two large baking trays with<br />
baking parchment.<br />
2. Toss the aubergines in a large bowl with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good<br />
grind of pepper.<br />
3. Put the flour into a shallow dish. Put the eggs and yolks into a separate<br />
dish with the 2 tablespoons of milk or water and whisk together well.<br />
Put the breadcrumbs into a third dish with 1¼ teaspoons of salt, mixing<br />
to combine.<br />
4. Working with one slice at a time, coat the aubergine in the flour,<br />
shaking off the excess, followed by the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs.<br />
Transfer to your lined trays and continue with the rest. Drizzle the slices<br />
all over with 2 tablespoons of the oil per tray and bake for 15 minutes.<br />
Switch the trays around, then bake for 15 minutes more, or until nicely<br />
golden. Remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 180°C fan.<br />
5. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Put the oil into a large saucepan<br />
over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring<br />
occasionally, for 10 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. Add the<br />
garlic and spices and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute more, then<br />
add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, 400ml of water, 1¾ teaspoons of salt<br />
and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down<br />
to medium and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened<br />
slightly. Stir in the coriander, then measure out 700g of sauce (you’ll use<br />
this to build the pie). Keep the rest in the pan, to warm up when serving.<br />
6. In a bowl, toss together the kataifi, half the pecorino and the remaining 3<br />
tablespoons of oil.<br />
7. Next assemble the pie. Line a 23cm springform cake tin with a piece of<br />
baking parchment large enough to cover the base and sides. Cover the<br />
base with a third of the aubergine slices (cutting them to fit, as needed).<br />
Top with a third of the sauce, a third of the mozzarella and a third of the<br />
remaining pecorino. Continue in this way with the remaining aubergine,<br />
sauce and cheeses. Lastly, top evenly with the kataifi mixture and bake<br />
for 35 minutes. Turn the heat up to 200°C fan and bake for 15–20<br />
minutes more, or until nicely golden on top. Remove from the oven and<br />
leave to set for about 30 minutes.<br />
8. Remove the outer ring of the tin and use the paper to help you lift the<br />
pie onto a board. Heat up the extra sauce and serve the pie warm, or at<br />
room temperature, with the extra sauce alongside.<br />
Tomato sauce<br />
• Make up to three days ahead and keep refrigerated in a sealed container.<br />
• Use this spiced sauce for pasta bakes and tomato-based stews, or crack<br />
in a couple of eggs to make a shakshuka.