Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4 cans (28 oz./875 g each) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • <br> 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for the dish
  • 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbs. water
  • 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) dried bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 small eggplants, about 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) total, each cut crosswise into 8 slices
  • 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instruction

  • To make the spicy tomato sauce, in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thick, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly. Measure out 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) of the sauce and set aside. Save the remaining sauce for another use.
  • Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 cm) baking dish.
  • Put the egg mixture in a wide, shallow dish. Put the bread crumbs in another dish and stir in the oregano, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper.
  • In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working with 4 eggplant slices at a time, dip each slice in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Coat both sides with the bread crumbs and cook, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and the remaining eggplant. Transfer to a plate.
  • Spoon one-third of the reserved sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sauce. Spoon one-third of the sauce onto the slices and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining eggplant slices and cover with the remaining sauce and mozzarella.
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  • Bake until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is lightly browned and melted, about 15 minutes. Divide among plates and serve. Serves 4.
  • Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>One Pot of the Day</i>, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen, 2012)