Aubergine Gateau with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan-style Cheese

Aubergine Gateau with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan-style Cheese

This aubergine gateau is from a recipe from recipe is from Gordon Ramsay – Makes It Easy. I’ve increased the quantity of ingredients a little and I now make it with a vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese.

Slice of aubergine gateau
This tastes absolutely gorgeous. This is a photo of the first one I made – years later still love it.

This is gorgeous. It’s so simple to make and it is delicious. I knew as soon as I looked at the ingredients I’d love it. The cherry tomatoes fried in butter with some garlic and basil – it’s so good. You could use just that as a simple and lovely pasta sauce.

gordon ramsay cookery book
This recipe is from Gordon Ramsay – Makes It Easy.

I found another baked aubergine recipe from Gordon Ramsay online which I wanted to link to here. It’s got olives and anchovies, which means it’s definitely not vegetarian but it is heart healthy. And I do like heart healthy options. There also yoghurt and capers – it sounds really good.

Could you add black olives to this? I think so. In fact, I think I will the next time.

Some tips for your Aubergine Gateau

  • I’ve increased the quantity of tomatoes in the recipe a little. I use 750g of cherry tomatoes. Honestly I could use 1000g and I don’t think it would be too much. Be sure to apply the tomato sauce a little sparingly over the aubergine slices. I find I have just have enough to cover the slices using 750g and 9″ cake tin.
  • After baking leave the gateau on the counter top for 10-15 minutes before plating. I have learned, time and time again, that you must do this with most baked dishes. If you leave it cool for a bit it’s much less likely to fall apart on you.
  • Parmesan cheese is made with animal rennet so strict vegetarians won’t eat it. But you can find vegetarian substitutes quite easily. If you can find it, Gran Kinara, is a vegetarian cheese that tastes exactly like Parmesan. I currently use Gran Moravia which doesn’t tastes exactly like Parmesan, but it’s vegetarian, easy to find and works great in this recipe.
  • If you are thinking of using a cake tin with a removable base and hoping that the baking paper will seal in all the lovely juices, in my experience that won’t work. If you are thinking what kind of an idiot would think that in the first place … well, that’s enough tips for you.
Assembling the aubergine gateau
Aubergines, cherry tomatoes, basil, unsalted butter, vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Aubergine Gateau with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan

Serves 6

Aubergine Gateau with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan

Ingredients

  • 3 aubergines, thinly sliced
  • olive oil to drizzle
  • large knob of unsalted butter
  • 750g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 - 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • handful of basil leaves
  • sea salt and pepper
  • 100g Parmesan-style vegetarian cheese, freshly grated
  • 9" cake tin

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 200 C/ Gas Mark 6. Lay the aubergine slices on two oiled baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
  2. Line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and cook the cherry tomatoes with the garlic until soft and pulpy. Tear in the basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Layer a third on the aubergine slices over the base of the cake tin, top with half of the tomato mixture and then scatter over some grated Parmesan. Repeat and then top with a final layer of aubergine and then sprinkle generously with Parmesan.
  4. Bake the gateau until the top is golden and bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a warm plate. Cut into wedges and serve with crusty bread. But it's lovely all by itself too.
http://twimii.com/recipes/aubergine-gateau-cherry-tomatoes-basil-parmesan/

Aubergine Gateau assembled and ready for baking.
It smells gorgeous before it’s even baked.
augerine gateau, baked and resting
Take it out of the oven and leave it to rest for 10 – 15 minutes.