Baked Eggplant Tomato Cheese (Print)

Eggplant, tomato sauce, herbs, and cheeses layered then baked for a warm, crowd-pleasing dish.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 900g eggplants (approximately 2 medium), sliced widthwise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, end slices discarded
02 - 3 teaspoons salt
03 - 125ml extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
05 - 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
06 - 796ml can diced tomatoes
07 - 2 to 3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 garlic clove, peeled (for the dish)
12 - 25g grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 60g to 90g grated mozzarella cheese
14 - 1 tablespoon bread crumbs

# How to Make It:

01 - Spread eggplant slices in one layer on a board covered with a cloth or paper towels. Sprinkle with salt on both sides and set aside for 45 minutes to 1 hour to allow the eggplants to sweat excess moisture. Pat eggplants dry on both sides with paper towel or a cloth.
02 - Heat 15ml of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 3 to 4 eggplant slices and pan fry for about 2 minutes on each side until softened. Add more oil to the pan as needed and repeat with all eggplant slices. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the middle.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 15ml of extra virgin olive oil. Cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add fresh basil, diced tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, black pepper, and salt. Cook for about 20 minutes at a low simmer until the sauce has reduced by a quarter and thickened.
04 - Rub a gratin dish or skillet with a crushed garlic clove. Drizzle 15ml of extra virgin olive oil and rub to coat evenly. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in overlapping rows at the bottom of the dish. Cover with one-third of the tomato sauce, one-third of the Parmesan, and one-third of the mozzarella. Repeat the process twice, finishing with the last third of tomato sauce and cheese. Top with breadcrumbs, a sprinkle of Herbs de Provence, and salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Bake the dish for 40 minutes. Finish with 2 minutes under the broiler to brown the top. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Allowing the eggplant slices to sweat with salt helps remove excess moisture and reduces bitterness.
02 - Eggplants absorb olive oil easily, so be generous while frying but avoid oversaturating.
03 - The dish can be prepared in advance and reheated before serving.

Back