Baked Eggplant Parmesan

This easy, cheesy vegetarian dish is made with roasted eggplant rather than fried like the Italian baked eggplant parmesan recipe.

My Italian grandmother used to salt and press slices of eggplant all day to eliminate the excess moisture when I was a child. After that was finished, she would bread and fry each slice separately before layering them together on a plate. It was incredible.

Serve this delectable vegetarian dish alone, with salad or pasta on the side, any time of year.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Total Time: 1 Hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggplants
  
• 6 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 cups tomato sauce
  
• 12 fresh basil leaves
  
• 16 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
  
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

To Roast The Eggplant:

1. Set the oven to 400°F.
   
2. On a baking sheet covered with baking paper or nonstick foil, arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer. Olive oil should be used, then salt and pepper should be added.
   
3. 30 minutes or until brown in the oven.

To Assemble:

1. Half of the slices of the roasted eggplant should be used to line a 10-inch casserole pan in a single layer. Basil leaves and additional sauce are added on top, then the mozzarella slices.
   
2. Using the leftover eggplant slices, add another layer of eggplant. After adding the grated parmesan cheese, cover with sauce.
   
3. 30 minutes in the oven, or until crisp and golden