The plethora of eggplant we’ve been receiving can be as daunting to some as a weekly small bag of okra. This recipe from Mark Bittman can be served as is, or over cornmeal mush or polenta if you still have some Riverview ground corn in your freezer from last year.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds eggplant 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste Black pepper to taste 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic Most of the tomatoes from the box, chopped 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, preferably coarse-ground
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees and position two racks so that they’ve got at least 4 inches between them. Cut the eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange them on two rimmed baking sheets.
Use 2 tablespoons of the oil to brush the top of each eggplant slice and sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Roast the eggplant until the slices brown on the bottom and sides, 10 to 15 minutes; turn and cook the other side until they’re crisp in places and golden, another 5 to 10 minutes. When they finish cooking, remove them from the oven and lower the heat to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture comes together and thickens, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Cover the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with about 1/2 inch of the tomato sauce. Nestle a layer of eggplant into the sauce and top with some of the basil. Cover with a thin layer of tomato sauce and repeat until all the eggplant is used up; reserve some of the basil for serving. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and lots of pepper, and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Simmer the remaining sauce (you should have about 2 cups) over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, while the eggplant bakes.
Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, garnished with the remaining basil; pass the remaining sauce at the table (or refrigerate or freeze it for another use).