500g/2 cupstomato passata/crushed tomatoesor use pre-made tomato pasta sauce
2-3basil leaves
125ml/1/2 cupwater
salt to taste
250g/8 ozfresh mozzarella cut into small pieces or grated mozzarella
50g/1/2 cupgrated Parmesan
Instructions
Turn your oven into a broil/grill mode. Cut the eggplants lengthwise into ¼ inch slices, brush with 2 tbsp of oil and season with salt. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and broil/grill in the oven for 7 minutes with the baking sheet set at the top of the oven, then flip over and grill for 3-5 minutes longer longer until the eggplant and cooked all the way through and lost the spongy texture. (Watch carefully as oven temperature vary in different ovens.) You might need to use 2 -3 baking sheets to cook all the eggplant slices.
Meanwhile heat the remaining olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan or a pan, add 1 whole garlic clove and let it cook for 30 seconds or so to flavour the oil, then take it out and discard. Pour in the passata or crushed tomatoes, torn basil leaves and a pinch of salt, add ½ cup water, let it simmer oven medium heat for 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. If the sauce is too acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar.
Start layering your eggplant parmigiana in a 13X9 inch casserole dish by adding a thin layer of the sauce, then half of the eggplant slices directly on top, 125ml(½ cup) of the sauce, followed by a half of the cut up mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheese, repeat the same layer with the remaining ingredients.
Bake covered with aluminium foil at 350F/180C for 40 minutes, uncover and cook for 10 minutes longer until the cheese is bubbly. Let the dish stand for 15 minutes to allow the juices to settle before cutting into squares and serving.