Photography: John Paul Urizar Styling: Debbie Kaloper
This cheesy eggplant bake is kind on the pocket, but still full of the robust flavours that we all love in the colder months.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
Lay the eggplant on absorbent paper; sprinkle with salt; stand for 15 minutes. Turn eggplant over and repeat with the other side. Rinse and pat dry.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan; cook onions and garlic, stirring, until softened. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the undrained tomatoes, oregano and sugar; simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and reduces by about a quarter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Combine the ricotta and nutmeg in a bowl; season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Spray eggplant slices with oil spray or brush with extra oil. Cook eggplant on a heated grill pan (or grill or barbecue) for about 2 minutes on each side or until browned and tender.
Oil a 20cm square ovenproof dish (1.75 litre/7-cup capacity). Spread half the tomato sauce in dish, top with half the eggplant, half the ricotta mixture and half the cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers.
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until browned lightly and heated through. Let the eggplant bake stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with green salad and crusty bread, if desired.
Can this eggplant bake be frozen?
Yes this dish is suitable to freeze.
This recipe was first published in The Australian Women’s Weekly in August 2010, and published online in 2026.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
