Eggplant Parmigiana

Serves four

Ingredients:

One big eggplant

six plum tomatoes

one fresh mozzarella 4oz

extra virgin oil

one garlic clove

one cup parmesan cheese

Image Parmigiana

spices: I used chili pepper basil and a hint of mint, if you like you can use also oregano.

salt: I use the salt only when i cover the slices.

First thing to do is to wash the eggplant slice it covering each slice with salt layering them on a dish. Than put over a second dish and over it a weight. Keep the eggplant like this for about one hour moving the layers every twenty minutes. This takes away the bitter taste from the eggplant. In the meantime prepare the tomato sauce. First peel the tomatoes in hot water, than with oil garlic and the spices prepare a tomato sauce.

Take the slices fry them in the oil. There should a thin layer of oil, not enough to cover the slices. The color of the eggplant should become like the one in the picture.

Oil the baking dish and than in layers put the fried eggplant mozzarella and tomato sauce. Finish the top with the parmesan cheese. This will make a crunchy crust on the top.

Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

As the eggplant very often absorbs the salt while extracting the liquid, this is the only time i use the salt in the recipe.

Mangia!