EASY BAKED EGGPLANT WITH OLIVE OIL AND TOMATO-GARLIC TOPPING

EASY BAKED EGGPLANT WITH OLIVE OIL AND TOMATO-GARLIC TOPPING image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 7

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2 lbs Japanese, Chinese or small Itailian eggplants, peeled in strips or unpeeled.
3-5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, halved and sliced thin
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, diced, or one 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil roasting pan or shallow baking dish. Remove green caps and halve eggplants lengthwise. Place eggplants cut side up, side by side, in prepared pan. Sprinkle or brush them with 2 tablespoons oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. Bake about 15 minutes or until eggplants are tender when pierced with a knife. Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet; use a nonstick skillet if you want to keep the oil to a minimum. Add onions and saute over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring often. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring often, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons water if pan becomes dry or if onions turn too dark. Stir in garlic and saute a few seconds. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook, umcovered, over medium high heat for 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick, stirring often. Remove from heat and add parsley. Tast and adjust seasoning, is should be generously seasoned. Spoon topping over eggplant halves. If you like, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Spoon any extra topping into baking dish and thin it with 3 or 4 tablespoons water or reserved tomato juice. Bake for 5 - 7 minutes to flavor eggplant. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.