Eggplant parmigiana

Salt the eggplants, lay baking paper over them and weigh them down with something heavy until the water comes out.

Blend the onion and carrot with about five tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, more oil and a splash of water, to a creamy soffritto.

Blend the peeled tomatoes gently into a passata.

On medium-low heat, cook the soffritto in the oil with a little water so it does not burn, about 10 minutes on low.

Stir the tomato passata into the soffritto, cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.

Switch off; add about half a tablespoon of salt, be generous with the pepper, and tear in the basil by hand.

Coat each eggplant slice in flour; the wet surface takes the flour easily.

Fry the slices until browned, then rest them in layers on kitchen paper to absorb the oil.

Assemble: sauce over the bottom of the dish, then a layer of eggplant with no gaps, using the skinny slices to fill gaps.

Cover that layer completely with sauce, add fresh basil, pecorino cheese and fresh mozzarella over every slice.

Repeat for many layers, pressing gently each time to make room for more.

Finish with a generous layer of sauce only, no cheese and no basil.

Cover the top gently with foil without pressing.

Bake at 180 Celsius for 40 minutes total, 30 minutes covered and the last 10 uncovered.

After the covered half hour, sprinkle pecorino over the top and return it to the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.