Tomato and Aubergine Gratin

By BethyO

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pepperoncino, smashed (optional)
• 4 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• a handful of fresh herb leaves, such as basil, parsley and rosemary
• 2 lbs eggplant, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• pinch chili powder
• 3 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan and cook the onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf and pepperoncino, and cook 1 minute. Then add the tomatoes and cook to a thick, chunky sauce, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and stir in the fresh herbs.

While the sauce cooks, brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden and soft, about 15 minutes, turn and bake the other side, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. Mix together the breadcrumbs with the chili powder.

In a large gratin dish, starting with just the thinnest smear of tomato sauce over the bottom, layer in the eggplant, then sauce, then breadcrumbs. Repeat until the dish is full. Scatter the Parmesan over the top. Bake until the gratin is heated through and the top is golden, about 30 minutes.