Aubergines Parmigiana

Adapted from Simple Mediterranean Cookery by Claudia Roden,

BBC Books, 2003.

A simple, relative quick Italian baked eggplant dish that's excellent.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 8 1/2" thick disks

1 & 1/2 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and a

bit more for brushing eggplant slices

1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1 cup shredded parmesan

fresh mozzarella

Salt to taste

Procedure:

Lightly brush eggplant disks with olive oil and salt lightly;

place on tray under broiler for several minutes until slices

are light golden; turn and repeat. Remove from oven.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in saucepan and sauté

garlic for one minute; stir in diced tomatoes and herbs,

adding salt to taste; simmer for 5 - 6 minutes to allow

tastes to mingle, then remove from heat.

In a lightly greased baking dish, place 4 of the eggplant

disks, cover with half the tomatoes and half of the parmesan

cheese; add remaining eggplant, tomatoes, and parmesan,

then place two or three small wedges of fresh mozzarella

on each of the four stacks. Cook in preheated 350 degree

oven for 40 minutes. Remove and serve. Serves 4.

Notes:

1. You can use any fresh (or dried) herbs you choose;

dill and cilantro are my first choices, others including

basil and Italian parsley will work just as well.

2. You can use either more of less parmesan, according

to taste.

3. As in other eggplant recipes, graffiti eggplants are my

eggplant of choice, but other varieties should work just as

well.

4. This is another dish that carries over well in the refrigerator.