Chef and cookery teacher Ursula Ferrigno’s sunshine-filled recipes are inspired by her childhood on the beautiful Italian coast. They’re part of her family heritage – and now they’re set to be part of yours
PHOTOGRAPHS NASSIMA ROTHACKER FOOD STYLING ELEANOR MULLIGAN AND TROY WILLIS STYLING LAUREN MILLER
The food I cook at home.
Parmigiana di melanzana (aubergine and parmesan bake)
Serves 6 Hands-on time 45 min Simmering time 30 min Oven time 25 min Specialist kit 23cm springform cake tin or deep 20cm square baking dish
• 2 firm and glossy aubergines,
finely sliced lengthways
• 100ml olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 900g ripe tomatoes,
deseeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Very large handful basil
leaves, torn
• 2 tbsp ‘00’ flour
• 4-5 large free-range eggs
• 6 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• 350g mozzarella, sliced
1 Sprinkle the aubergine slices with salt, put in a colander, cover with a plate and weigh down. Leave over a bowl for 25-30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil, add the onion and cook gently until softened. Add the tomatoes, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, then simmer for 30 minutes. Add a few of the basil leaves for flavour. Keep an eye on the liquid content of the sauce as it needs to be fairly concentrated. Adjust the seasoning as needed – this sauce depends on the quality of the tomatoes, balanced by the seasoning, so it will need tasting to check.
3 Rinse the aubergine slices and pat dry on kitchen paper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk the eggs in another shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper and add the parmesan (reserving a little for a garnish). Dip the aubergine slices in the flour.
4 Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Dip the aubergines, one at a time, in the egg mixture, then fry (in batches) for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and like soft pillows. Drain the slices on kitchen paper and set aside.
5 Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. While you wait, assemble the dish in the cake tin or baking dish. Put a layer of aubergines on the bottom (about a quarter of them), then top with a third of the sauce, mozzarella and basil. Add the remaining layers in the same order, pressing firmly after the completion of each layer, finishing with a layer of aubergine slices. Sprinkle over the reserved parmesan to finish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
Per serving 493cals, 37g fat (15g saturated), 24g protein, 14g carbs (8.6g sugars), 0.5g salt, 4.1g fibre
Amalfi pizza
Makes 2 pizzas (enough to serve 2-4) Hands-on time 35 min, plus proving Oven time 30 min
MAKE AHEAD
