Name: Eggplant cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: MEDITERRANEAN
Ingredients: 3 UNITS large eggplants; 2 UNITS cloves of garlic; 1 UNITS large onion; 300 GRAM tomato sauce; 300 GRAM York ham; 200 GRAM cottage cheese; 200 GRAM mozzarella cheese; 50 GRAM parmesan cheese; 2 TEA_SPOON oregano; 1 TASTE olive oil; 1 TASTE salt; 1 TASTE pepper; 600 GRAM whole milk; 50 GRAM butter; 50 GRAM flour; 1 TASTE salt; 1 UNITS nutmeg

Ingredients Cake

large eggplants 3 Units

cloves of garlic 2 Units

large onion 1 Units

tomato sauce 300 g

York ham 300 g

cottage cheese 200 g

mozzarella cheese 200 g

parmesan cheese 50 g

oregano 2 Tea spoon

olive oil To taste

salt To taste

pepper To taste

Bechamel

whole milk 600 g

butter 50 g

flour 50 g

salt To taste

nutmeg 1 Units

Directions

1.Prepare the eggplants

Wash the eggplants well before cutting, once clean, cut them into thin slices of more or less the same thickness. Put the eggplant pieces in a large container, add salt, and cover with water. It should rest for at least half an hour to eliminate bitter tones. Drain the water, and dry the eggplants well with absorbent kitchen paper. Next, in a frying pan with a splash of oil, lightly brown the eggplants. Transfer the eggplants to a plate lined with absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

2.Next the bechamel

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter with a splash of oil, sauté the flour. Once it has been lightly toasted, gradually add the milk until you achieve the desired texture. Season with salt and pepper and add a touch of nutmeg, reserve the mixture.

3.Prepare the inside

Meanwhile, cut the onion into julienne strips and sauté it in a frying pan with a splash of oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat, although if you want it more poached you can leave it until it reaches the desired point. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the tomato sauce along with the oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Let it reduce for about 7 minutes.

4.Layering

Next, you are going to cover a source or tray suitable for baking with a little oil or butter and you are going to place a first layer of eggplants that covers the entire base of the container. We recommend using a container that is not too wide so that you can assemble several layers. Cover the first layer with tomato sauce, ham, part of the cottage cheese and a tablespoon of bechamel, spread and repeat the process until a final layer of eggplants. On top of this you will add the rest of the bechamel and cover with mozzarella cheese and the parmesan on top.

5.It's oven time

Place in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes at 180º C with heat up and down. The last 5 minutes let the top part gratinate to create a layer with the gratin cheese. Let it rest for a few minutes and get ready to delight your guests with this delicious recipe for baked eggplant cake with cheese.