Eggplant antipasto

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g eggplant(s)
• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 8 bay leaves
• 14 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, cold squeezed
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• n. B. Salt
• n. B. Pepper, black

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 6 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 7 hours 10 minutes

Eggplant in saor

Peel 400g of eggplant and cut into 5mm thick slices. Add 10 tbsp of olive oil to a porcelain, ceramic, or stoneware dish measuring approximately 20 x 30cm and with a 5cm rim and spread evenly over the bottom. Place the eggplant slices, one at a time, in the oil on both sides and soak until the oil is used up. Add more oil if necessary. Cover and fry 3 eggplant slices in a pan over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. The eggplant flesh should have a translucent appearance; no white spots should remain (raw eggplant is slightly poisonous). After frying, arrange the fried eggplant slices back in the dish to create two layers. Sprinkle a little salt on each eggplant slice. Meanwhile, halve 2 onions lengthwise and cut into thin slices. After frying the eggplants, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan, cover, and sauté the onions and 8 bay leaves over medium heat until they begin to brown. Mix in 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside, picking out the bay leaves and reserving them for garnishing. Cut 2 tomatoes into 1 cm cubes. Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan and fry the diced tomatoes for about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and spread evenly over the eggplants. Spread the onion mixture on top and smooth it down with a fork so that the onions are lightly pressed into the tomato pieces. Arrange the bay leaves on top in the center of a serving as a garnish. Let it marinate at room temperature for at least half a day and serve at room temperature. A historic dish dating back to the Arabs. Only back then, raisins and pine nuts were used instead of tomatoes, which is still how it is prepared in some regions in Italy.