Lucy's Last Meal of Freedom {Baked Chicken with Parmigiana Melanzane}

No Lucy didn't go to jail, she just got married! As her Chief Bridesmaid I decided to do the whole cooking her last meal the night before her wedding as we were all staying at her Mum and Dads. I wanted a really special and memorable evening reminiscent of the many holidays that we have been on to Italy. I actually learnt to make this dish whilst I was in Italy a few years ago and whilst cooking all the aubergines can take time it is well worth it for such a rich and tasty dish, just think of yourself as an Italian Momma for an hour or so. We all ate around the table in the kitchen, remembering happy times when we were younger and more carefree and washed it down with glasses of ice cold Prosecco.  My little Lucy is now married and enjoying her honeymoon in Thailand, yet still the memories and tastes of that night linger on.....

Lucy's Last Meal of Freedom 

Preparing the Melanzane 

Baked Chicken with Parmigiana Melanzane

For the chicken:

Chicken thighs, skin on 

Lemon, cut in to wedges 

Sprigs of  fresh rosemary

8 - 12 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed 

butter 

S&P

For the Parmigiana Melanzane:

4 Aubergines, slices in into disc's approx 1cm thick

Olive Oil (Lots of it)!

1 litre Passata 

2 small onions, finely chopped 

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 

Oregano (Dried is fine)

S&P

Sugar 

250g fresh mozzarella, chopped into little cubes 

150g freshly grated Parmesan 

For the chicken: lie the chicken out on baking dishes. pat down a bit of butter on to the skin of the chicken and rub in slightly. Season. Tuck the lemon wedges, rosemary and garlic in amongst the thighs. Drizzle it all with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 50mins-1hr at about 200°C, until the juices run clear. 

For the Parmigiana Melanzane: take your discs of aubergine, lay them out on tea towels and salt them quite liberally. Leave for approx. 30mins (this draws the bitterness out). Brush both sides of the aubergine with olive oil and fry them off batch by batch - they need to be nice and golden as they come out of the ban but not burnt. This does take time but it is worth it. Meanwhile add the chopped onion and garlic into a pan with olive oil and a pinch of oregano and gently cook until softened. Add in the passata and a couple of TSP of sugar. Allow to bubble away for approx. 20mins. Season. Take a large dish and spread a bit of the sauce to cover the bottom. Top with a layer of aubergine. Cover with sauce, some of the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Repeat this another two - three times ending with a layer of sauce and the cheeses. Bake in oven for 40mins at about 180°C  until its all heated through and the cheese is melted. 


Serve the chicken alongside the Melanzane and a crisp green salad with a jam jar of your favourite homemade salad dressing. Belissima! 

I'm linking up this post with Alesha for Delicious Dish Tuesday

 

And  Supergolden bakes!