This yummy baked eggplant recipe is an adaptation of a recipe I found from 1998 on the site epicurious.com that collates amazing recipes from all different sources.
For my version, I decided to give it a native twist by adding our Peppermint Gum, Native Basil and Australian Native Pepper Berry Leaf. The herbs give this dish a fragrant sweetness and teamed with the tangy goats cheese and fresh tomatoes, this sauce compliments the soft silky eggplant perfectly.
Serve as a main meal or alongside some grilled meat for a great side dish.
Directions
Preheat oven to 250C, lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. 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 180C.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juices, peppermint gum and native basil 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 mountain pepper.
Spoon half of tomato sauce into shallow baking dish. Arrange eggplant rounds atop sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle cheese over. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.
