Eggplant Dish With an Italian Flavor

Here’s a dish that calls for a hearty purple eggplant, which you can assemble in no time with marinara sauce that you’ve prepared in advance or bought ready-made.

FILLED SLICED EGGPLANT

Salt

1 large eggplant, sliced paper thin

Olive oil

1 cup Marinara Sauce

2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced

8 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh or dried basil leaves

Fresh or dried oregano leaves

Lightly salt eggplant slices and drain on paper towels 30 minutes. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees 5 minutes or until slices are cooked through and pliable.

Pour half of Marinara Sauce into shallow baking dish. Place 1 eggplant slice in dish and arrange slice of tomato and provolone on one half, folding top half over to form half moon sandwich.

Fill remaining eggplant slices this way. Cover with remaining Marinara Sauce and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over all. Season to taste with basil and oregano.

Return to oven until heated through, about 5 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Marinara Sauce

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 carrot, diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (35-ounce) can tomato puree

1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Saute onions and carrot in olive oil until onions are tender. Add garlic toward end of saute time.

Add tomato puree, basil, oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Makes 3 cups.