Eggplant casserole with tomato sauce

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 2 large eggplants
• 3 tbsp salt
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 large onion(s), finely chopped
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp vegetables, salted or very finely chopped soup greens
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cans of tomatoes, peeled, approx. 400 g each
• 1 tsp aromatic or vegetable stock powder
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 2 stalks of basil
• 4 cloves or 3/4 tsp clove powder
• 2 star anise or 1/3 tsp ground
• 1 tbsp vinegar (tomato vinegar) or sherry, red wine, or balsamic vinegar
• 125g halloumi
• Chopped parsley or basil, optional

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

For this recipe, I recommend using a very large frying pan, ideally an ovenproof one, and a spatula. Cut the eggplant into cubes about 3 x 3 cm thick. It’s important that the pieces are not too small. Place the cubes in a large pot and toss generously with about 3 tablespoons of salt. Let the eggplant rest for about an hour. Meanwhile, either finely chop or press the garlic. Heat the garlic with the olive oil either in a microwave for about 1 minute or in the very large frying pan you’ll need later at medium heat for 3 minutes. The garlic shouldn’t brown. Just heat the oil so it absorbs the garlic flavor. If the oil is being prepared in the pan, remove it now and set it aside. Now line a kitchen towel and add the eggplant cubes, stirring to remove most of the released and excess liquid from the eggplant. Be as thorough as possible here so that the eggplant cubes take on a proper color in the next step and don’t cook. Fry the eggplants in stages. If too many go into the pan at once, they’ll boil instead of frying. So heat a large pan until very hot. Add about 1 tablespoon of garlic oil, without any garlic pieces, to the pan, spread it out with a spatula, and fry the first batch of eggplant pieces in it. There should be space between all the cubes to allow good air circulation. Turn the pieces over as soon as they have turned a dark golden color. Don’t worry if the cubes get a little dark, it won’t spoil them. Set the cooked cubes aside. Repeat this process with all the eggplant pieces until they are all cooked. Now heat up a little more garlic oil, or use regular olive oil if you’ve run out. Stir in the onion and chili flakes and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Now add the salted vegetables, sugar, and the garlic from the garlic oil, including the remaining oil. Sauté everything for a minute and then add the tomatoes. Add a little water to each can to absorb the last bit of tomato juice. Roughly chop the tomatoes with a spatula. Keep the pieces; don’t use pureed or chopped tomatoes. Add the aromatics or vegetable stock powder, along with the thyme and oregano. Add the roughly chopped leaves and whole stems from about two basil sprigs. Add the cloves and star anise, preferably in a small tea bag so they’re easy to find. Otherwise, sprinkle them in as a powder. Simmer the sauce for about half an hour with the lid tilted open, stirring occasionally. Stir in the eggplant and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes with the lid tilted open, until the eggplant is tender. Season the sauce with tomato vinegar, salt, and sugar, and discard the basil stems, cloves, and star anise. If using an ovenproof pan, place the halloumi slices directly on top of the stew. Otherwise, transfer everything to a large ovenproof dish and place the halloumi slices on top. Optionally, you can stir in more fresh basil or chopped parsley. Cook the casserole at 230°C (450°F) on the middle rack for about 15 minutes, until the halloumi is golden brown, watching closely to make sure it doesn’t overbrown. This dish goes well with garlic bread, flatbread, pita bread, or even focaccia.