Macaroni Bake with Eggplant, Cheese, and Tomato

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• Salt
• 1 onion
• 1 Garlic clove
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 400 g peeled tomatoes (canned)
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• a pinch of whole cane sugar
• Pepper
• 1 handful fresh basil (5 g)
• 400 g whole wheat pasta (macaroni)
• 1 tomato
• 125 g mozzarella (45% fat in the cream)
• 50 g aged cheese (45% fat in the cream)
• 50 g parmesan (37% fat in the cream)
• 130 g soy cream
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash, trim, and slice the eggplant into thin rounds. Sprinkle with salt and let soak for 30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

2. 2.

   Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. In a pot, sauté in 1 tbsp hot oil until translucent. Stir in tomato paste and add peeled tomatoes. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add oregano and season with sugar, salt, and pepper.

3. 3.

   Wash basil, shake off excess water, pluck leaves, and finely chop one leaf for garnish. Fold into the tomato sauce at the end.

4. 4.

   Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

5. 5.

   In a pan, brown eggplant slices on both sides in remaining hot oil. Boil tomato briefly, cool, peel, remove stem, and slice thinly. Drain mozzarella and slice similarly. Grate aged cheese and parmesan, mix with soy cream and thyme, then season with salt and pepper.

6. 6.

   Layer macaroni and cheese mixture in a greased baking dish if needed, top with eggplant slices, pour tomato sauce over, and repeat layers of pasta and cheese mixture. Top with tomato and mozzarella slices. Bake in preheated oven at 180 °C (or fan‑forced 160 °C) for about 30 minutes until golden.

7. 7.

   Remove from oven and garnish with remaining basil leaves.