Eggplant Tian

My favorite vegetable on the planet.... eggplant! I will try any dish that has eggplant in it. My favorite is the way my mother fries it with Indian spices. I could eat it like that for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At any restaurant, I am more likely to order something from the menu if eggplant is in it.

So when I came across a simple recipe for Eggplant Tian, I sent Steve and Syd to the farmer's market to get me some fresh eggplant. I used some fresh basil from a plant I bought from Trader Joe's. Nothing is better than picking herbs from your own backyard. Here is the recipe...

Eggplant Tian

1/4 cup EVOO
12 basil leaves + 5-6 extra
2 stems thyme
2 garlic cloves
1 large eggplant cut into 1/4 inch slices
tomato-basil sauce (homemade or jarred)
fresh basil leaves, cut
fresh thyme leaves
mozzarella cheese
Gruyere & Parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, blend together the EVOO, 12 basil leaves, thyme leaves from 2 stems, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. A food processor works best for this. Layer the eggplant onto a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with herbed oil and bake for 10-12 minutes. They should start to get darker in color.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees. Layer a slightly greased baking dish as follows: tomato-basil sauce, eggplant, sauce, torn basil leaves, thyme leaves, mozarella; repeat until eggplant is stacked 4-5 high. Spoon a little more sauce then cover with the Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Top with toasted pine nuts.