Eggplant with Tomato Sauce
My grandmother brought this recipe from Italy about 125 years ago. It's been passed through the generations and is now being made by my own great-granddaughters! It's a delightful side dish that we serve with a variety of main courses such as pasta with meatballs or baked chicken. I make it every week!8 ServingsPrep: 10 min. + standing Cook: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant, unpeeled
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Additional olive oil for frying
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Cut eggplant into 1/2-in.-thick slices. Sprinkle with salt. Place in
- a deep dish; cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Rinse with cold water; drain and dry on paper towels. In a 2-qt.
- saucepan, heat oil over medium heat Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil
- and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for
- 45 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm while preparing eggplant. In a
- large skillet, heat about 1/4 cup oil; brown eggplant, a quarter at
- a time, adding more oil as needed. Place on a serving platter one
- row at a time. Cover with sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Serve
- warm. Yield: 8 servings.