Eggplant slices with tomato sauce

Eggplant slices with tomato sauce

Eggplant and tomatoes work really well together. I have to thank my husband for his love of eggplant. For the longest time I pretty much just ignored this humble vegetable, until I met my husband (how time flies). And that was it, I’ve been hooked ever since (on eggplants AND my husband ;-).
Eggplant in sauce means that Shabbat is coming and that the dish will be served along with a challah. The eggplant is so tender and it soaks up the wonderful flavor of the sauce, and the best part is that they are baked so you can eat them guilt-free!

Makes 4-5 servings

Preparation:

1. Slice the eggplant into 3-4 cm slices. Heat an oven to 180°C, line a baking tray with greased parchment paper and arrange the eggplant slices on it. Brush the tops and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Score the tops of the tomatoes and drop them in the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes and drain. Let cool, peel, and finely dice.

3. Dice the onion. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a pot and add the onion. Sauté until golden. Slice the garlic and add to the onion. Finely dice the pepper and sauté with the onion around one minute, then add the tomatoes and sauté for a minute. Add water and spices, cook for around 20 minutes and taste to adjust seasoning.

4. Arrange the slices on a baking tray and pour the tomato sauce on top. Bake for around 25 minutes.

*5. Another option is to add the eggplant slices to a pot with the tomato sauce, give the pot a shake to let the slices settle in the sauce, and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Good to know…
You can prepare the eggplant slices ahead of time, and you can make the entire dish the day before.
One of the yummiest dishes out there!