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This is what we thought up and constructed for dinner last night… it was divine. Thanks to Paul for suggesting the pancetta, it’s perfect for this dish.

Ingredients:

• one aubergine per person
• one ball of fresh mozzarella per 2 persons
• 60 g of pancetta per person (amazing italian bacon, you’ll have to get this from your deli)
• chestnut mushrooms (I think this is what they’re called; in Dutch they’re called “kastanje champignons”) - obviously you can improvise if you can’t find these
• onions
• italian spices (oreganum, dried basil, etc), salt, freshly ground black pepper
• basil pesto
• rucola (aka rocket salad)
• fresh tomatoes
• fresh focaccia or other rough bread

Recipe:

• cut the aubergines into 1cm thick slices
• sprinkle with salt on both sides, allow to drain for 10 to 15 minutes
• whilst the aubergine slices are draining, lightly fry the chopped mushrooms and onions in good olive oil, season with spices, salt and pepper
• put the mushrooms and onions in a bowl when done
• lightly fry the pancetta in olive oil, remove when done
• fry the drained aubergine slices until they’re browned on both sides (and tasty!) - don’t be shy with the olive oil
• on some tin foil, build little towers consisting of a layer of aubergine, some mushrooms and onion, some pancetta, another layer of aubergine, etc. End with mushrooms and onions as the top layer
• put your aubergine building complex under the grill (200 degrees celsius or something) for 15 to 30 minutes, or until you feel that enough grilling has taken place
• during the last 4 or 5 minutes of grilling, top each aubergine tower with a slice of the fresh mozzarella and a teaspoon (or more) of pesto; season generously with spices, salt and pepper - the cheese will melt and the cheese and pesto will form a lovely mixture slowly oozing down (hmmmm)

• make a bed of rucola leaves and fresh sliced tomato in a plate
• install your aubergine towers on this bed
• serve with focaccia