Polenta pasticcio with eggplant | Baked Italian flavor

Wash the eggplants and cut them into rounds about 1 cm thick. Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, brush them with 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with half a teaspoon of sea salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes, turning once, until tender and lightly browned.

In a deep skillet, heat the remaining 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the crushed garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the strained tomatoes, season with the remaining sea salt and a pinch of ground black pepper, then let the sauce simmer over low heat for 12-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Finally, add the fresh basil leaves torn by hand.

Bring 1 liter of water to a boil with half a teaspoon of salt. When the water comes to a boil, slowly pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Cook the polenta over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and smooth. Fold in the butter and half of the grated Parmesan (30 g).