This recipe is inspired by my recent trip to Italy!

It was one of my all time favourite dishes - and it’s called Parmigiana di Melanzane there.

I got back and HAD to create a recipe for you all!

It’s:

• Sugar free

• Low carb

• Gluten free

• Under 450 calories

Eggplant is an incredible vegetable with many health benefits, including:

• Being rich in vitamins A, C, K and folate

• High in fibre (one serve of this recipe contains half of your daily needs!) - so, its great for digestion and optimising gut health

• Low in calories.- so very guilt free and great to consume if you're looking to manage your weight!

NOTE: This meal is a little more length than the rest of the meals on this website and in my eBooks (in terms of the number of steps) but why not set aside the time on the weekend and make it a fun activity with your friend, partner or kids?

Or, it makes the BEST ready to go lunches for your week ahead if you make them on a Sunday! Then really, you’ve saved time!

Baked Eggplant Parmiagana

Note - this is definitely a lengthier recipe, unlike all of the recipes in my programs! It’s great for a weekend activity when you have more time on your hands.

Serves: 6

Prep time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 1 hours

Total time: 1 hour and 40 mins

What You’ll Need:

• 1 baking dish (approx. 23x33 cm)

• 2 baking trays

• 1 large pan (for cooking tomato sugo)

• Baking paper

Ingredients:

• 1.8 kg large eggplants (About 3-5 , sliced lengthways 8mm (1/3")-thick) *

• 1/4 cup olive oil (for brushing)

Layers:

• 1 2/3 cups parmesan , finely grated

• 2 cups basil leaves (loosely packed), stalks reserved

• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella , shredded (for topping)*

Sugo (Tomato Sauce):

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion , finely diced

• 5 garlic cloves , finely minced

• 1 can canned tomatoes , crushed or finely chopped (400 g)

• 600ml tomato passata

• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano , finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano)

• 1 cup water

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method:

(This entire method is shown as a quick movie on my instagram to help you visualise and simplify the process!)

(Click here to see!)

Baking Eggplant:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced.

2. Line 3 large trays with baking paper.

3. Brush eggplant slices on each side with oil.

4. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on the trays and bake for about 35 – 45 mins or until they begin to brown and become and tender, turning the eggplant halfway. The top tray (assuming your oven has 3 shelves) will be done first, remove that one, then move the other 2 up and then do the same again. Leave on trays to cool.

Tomato Sauce (Sugo):

1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for 3 minutes until softened.

2. Pour in the canned tomatoes, tomato passata, water and oregano. Stir and bring to a simmer.

3. Simmer, uncovered for about 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened, adding the basil stalks halfway through cooking (so they don’t lose their flavour). The final consistency should be slightly thicker than a pasta sauce so it’s spreadable and not leaching liquid, but not too pasty either. So, add extra water a little at a time if required during cooking if it gets too thick. Remove the basil stalks and discard.

4. Stir in salt and pepper (we get salt from the parmesan and mozzarella too, so no need to go overboard!)

Assembling and baking:

1. Reduce oven to 160°C fan forced

2. In a baking dish (approx. 23-33cm), smear a little tomato sauce in the bottom.

3. Layer 1: Lay one third of the eggplant so it covers the base (some overlap is OK when layering eggplant). Spread 1/3 of the remaining sugo over eggplant. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the parmesan, and 1/3 of basil leaves.

4. Layer 2: Repeat another 1/3 each of eggplant, tomato sauce, olive oil, basil and parmesan.

5. Layer 3 (top layer): Repeat again with remaining eggplant, tomato sauce and some olive oil. Do not put basil on top layer (we will garnish after baking). Scatter with remaining parmesan, then all the mozzarella.

6. Bake for 25 mins until bubbling and golden!

7. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes (easier to slice neatly). Scatter over remaining fresh basil leaves. Cut like lasagna and serve! (Optional: sprinkle with extra parmesan).

Notes:

Making ahead and freezing – This dish is suitable for making ahead and freezing. Assemble parmigiana but do not bake. Cover with cling wrap and freeze. You can bake from frozen (~60 mins, check frequently) or thaw and bake per recipe timings.

Eggplant - No need to salt the eggplant, it makes the overall dish too salty if you do. Eggplant will become tender with the pre-baking on trays, then baking with sauce. Contrary to popular wisdom, salting is not required to draw out bitterness. It’s been bred out of modern eggplants.

Macros / serve:

Calories: 446 kcal

Protein: 22 g

Fat: 27 g

Net Carbs: 18 g

Fibre: 13 g

Give it a go and let me know when you do by sharing it on your instagram and @health_with_bec ! I LOVE seeing your creations in the kitchen so much!