Baked Eggplant

Ingredients

• 4 small eggplants (about 200 g each)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove
• 120 g passata tomatoes
• 0.5 tsp Dried oregano
• 250 g mozzarella (9% fat)
• 150 g mini plum tomatoes
• 2 stems basil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the eggplants, pat dry, and cut them lengthwise in half. Let them soak in salted water for about 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry again before seasoning with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and grill the eggplant halves on both sides for 3–4 minutes each until golden brown.

2. 2.

   Peel the garlic and mash it into the passata tomatoes. Stir in oregano and season with salt and pepper. Place the grilled eggplant halves cut-side up on an oiled baking sheet, brush them with the tomato sauce, then top with cubed mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes. Season again and drizzle with the remaining oil.

3. 3.

   Bake in a preheated oven at 225 °C (200 °C fan‑forced; gas: level 3–4) for about 15 minutes until bubbling. While baking, wash and dry the basil leaves, then sprinkle them over the finished eggplants before serving.