Baked Rice with Eggplants

Baked rice with eggplants is a dish that marries typical elements of Italian cuisine in a tasty and substantial preparation. Here’s how to prepare it following the Italian tradition.

Ingredients

• 300 g of rice (preferably carnaroli or arborio)
• 2 medium eggplants
• 400 g of tomato puree
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 150 g of mozzarella (better if fiordilatte)
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Wash the eggplants, cut them into cubes and let them sit with salt for about 30 minutes, then rinse and dry them.
3. In a frying pan, sauté the finely chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and after a few minutes add the cubed eggplants.
4. Cook the eggplants until they are golden, then add the tomato puree and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the chopped basil leaves.
5. Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of salted water until it is al dente. Drain it and cool it under running water.
6. In a bowl, mix the rice with the prepared eggplant sauce, the diced mozzarella, and half of the grated Parmesan.
7. Grease a baking dish with a little oil and transfer the mixture into the dish, leveling it with the back of a spoon.
8. Sprinkle the remaining grated Parmesan over the surface and bake for about 20 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and crispy.
9. Let it rest a few moments before serving.

Trivia

Baked rice with eggplants is a variation of the more famous eggplant parmesan. This version with rice is particularly loved because it combines the comfort of risotto with the typical gratin of oven preparations, becoming a very rich and satisfying one-dish meal.