Photo: cyclonebill / Flickr

Broccoli alla parmigiana or broccoli and parmesan cheese bake is a good starter for an Italian meal or as an accompaniment to a meat or fish dish. The ingredients required include broccoli, olive oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and dried white breadcrumbs. You can easily create a brinjal and parmesan cheese bake by replacing the broccoli with sliced brinjals. Allow for 45 minutes of preparation time and 40 minutes of cooking time.

Ingredients for broccoli and parmesan cheese bake

You will need the following ingredients for four servings: 1 large broccoli head, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 finely chopped medium onion, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 4 skinned tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil, 130 grams of mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of dry white breadcrumbs. If you don’t have access to fresh basil, measure out 2 level teaspoons of dried basil as an alternative.

Preparation

Wash the broccoli well. Slice the head into same-sized spears and pop them into a steamer. Place the steamer over a pot of boiling water and steam until the broccoli is tender and crunchy.

Place the olive oil into a saucepan and heat it on a low heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry until the ingredients are soft (this should take about five minutes). Add the basil and tomatoes to the soft onions and garlic. Stir continuously until you have a sauce of thick consistency. Add some water if the sauce requires it. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

Finish and bake

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Place the broccoli into an ovenproof container. Pour the tomato sauce over the broccoli and lay out the mozzarella cheese slices over the sauce. Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the mozzarella cheese before sprinkling the top with the breadcrumbs.

Place the dish in the centre of your preheated oven and bake uncovered until the broccoli and parmesan cheese bake is bubbling and slightly browned. Allow the dish to cool a little before serving.

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