EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO-MINT SAUCE AND GOAT CHEESE

Eggplant with Tomato-Mint Sauce and Goat Cheese image

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 1-pound eggplants, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch-thick crosswise rounds
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Steps:

Preheat oven to 500°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with oil spray. Arrange eggplant rounds on prepared sheets; brush lightly with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes. Turn rounds over and bake until tender and golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices, mint and oregano and simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 1 3/4 cups, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon half of tomato sauce into shallow 2-quart baking dish. Arrange eggplant rounds atop sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle cheese over. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.