Mind Over Matter

Welcome back to my blog! It’s definitely summer time now here in NYC. I really try not to cook much in the summer but it’s hard to stay away when homemade food tastes so much better than eating out. This is a fun dish to assemble, requires minimal work, simple ingredients and tastes fabulous! It makes me think of Italy and how much I would like to visit! Have you ever been there? If so, what is your favorite site to see or restaurant to eat at?

Ingredients: Let’s take a little look-see at these fresh ingredients from my local supermarket. I’m lucky that we have fresh produce that’s constantly brought in, it makes my dish that much more delicious! You will need garlic, eggplants, onion, fresh basil, mozzarella, parmesan, a can of diced tomatoes, bread crumbs, olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs de provence.

Step One: Slice the eggplant after rinsing under cold water. Slice about a quarter inch thick. Lay them out on a tray and give them a slight coat of salt. Let them sweat for about 15 mins, you will see water droplets come out of them. Pat dry when the time is up.

Step Two: In a non-stick skillet, lightly drizzle some olive oil, on medium-low heat, cook the eggplant on each side for two minutes. Then transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step Three: In a heavy-bottom pot, add some olive oil and let it heat up on medium heat. Add in your diced onions, cook for 3 – 5 mins and add salt. Continue with adding in the diced garlic. Cook for another 3 mins and stir a few times. Add in the canned diced tomatoes (do not drain them). Add in the remaining seasonings and cook for 20 mins. Give it a stir a few more times as it cooks. At about the last 5 mins add in the chopped basil. The sauce will naturally thicken up so if you desire it to be a thinner consistency, just add in a tad bit more water. Be sure to taste test before the timer is up.

Step Four: Pre-heat the oven to 350F and begin layering the gratin. I lightly coat the tray with olive oil first, followed by a thin layer of tomato sauce, eggplant, sliced mozzarella, another round of eggplant, sauce and mozzarella. Place into the oven for 40 minutes. The last 10 minutes, you will need to take it out and top off the dish with a coat of breadcrumbs. Place back into the oven to finish baking. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Voila, a healthy and hearty veggie dish perfect to satisfy any tomato & eggplant lover! Growing up, my dad grew a lot of different vegetables in our backyard, eggplant was one of his favorites. It was always so nice to see my dad grow home produce that we were later able to cook dinner with. I always appreciated that about my dad! I hope you try this recipe and let me know how it turns out! Enjoy.

Prep: 8 mins Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 medium to large eggplants (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 white onion (diced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• Fresh basil
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Breadcrumbs
• Herbs De Provence (1/2 TBSP)
• Salt & Pepper