My sister taught me this recipe for summer produce at least 25 years ago. It’s awfully good and it’s so easy. It reminds me of a very light and fresh vegetable lasagna without the pasta or any of the work. All you need is an eggplant or two, a big tomato or two (or an equalish amount of small tomatoes), some onion sliced so thin it’s nearly shaved, salt, pepper, olive oil, Italian seasoning if you want it, and plenty of parmesan cheese. The kind that’s already grated is fine.
Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions is one of those things that’s greater than the sum of its parts. I don’t know why the vegetables play so well together, but they absolutely do. I usually make this in a casserole dish or deep-dish pie plate depending on how much I want, or how many vegetables I have. The veggies may give off some liquid, so use a baking dish with some depth.
Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions can be a fancy side dish or a vegetarian main dish. It’s wonderful hot, but it’s good at room temperature, too. The leftovers reheat well.
I usually serve it as a side dish with roasted or grilled chicken, fish or shrimp. One night though, I served it with pan-seared New York strips and a side of fettuccine Alfredo. It was excellent.
I’ve tried over the years to add other vegetables, but I keep coming back to the original trio. Zucchini slices were too watery. Sliced mushrooms were too earthy and detracted from the lightness. I add shredded mozzarella to the top if I have it. You do you.
Summertime and the livin’ (and eating) is easy!
Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Onions
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Eggplant in ¼"-½" slices
- Tomatoes in ¼"-½" slices, drained on paper towels for 20 minutes If your tomatoes are very juicy, discarding the seeds and gel helps.
- Sweet onion, in very, very thin slices
- Salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning (optional)
- Lots of grated parmesan cheese
- Shredded mozzarella, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Drizzle a little olive oil in a baking dish. Layer the ingredients in a baking dish like this: eggplant slices, tomato slices, a little onion, salt and pepper to taste. If using Italian seasoning sprinkle on very lightly. Drizzle all that with olive oil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste. Repeat three times. Add mozzarella to the top if using, then finish with parmesan.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the thickness of your eggplant and tomatoes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into servings, and use a slotted spatula or slotted spoon to serve, leaving any liquid behind.
I added small, diced mozzarella cheese in between the eggplant and tomatoes, I sprinkled parmesan cheese on each layer along with garlic and parsley seasoning. Also, sprinkled seasoned breadcrumbs on each layer, each layer was lightly sprayed with buttered cooking oil…layered black sliced olives and a small amount of diced onions, and repeated, parm, spices, and breadcrumb, I then topped it with pastry dough and broiled it for 3 min.
That sounds fantastic, Lynn!