Recipe - Eggplant And Tomato Gratin

3 pound Or 3large eggplant
4 teaspoon Olive oil
3 lg Garlic cloves; minced
3 pound Or 12medium tomatoes
1 pn Or 2 of sugar
Salt; to taste
2 tablespoon Slivered fresh basil; or
more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce Parmesan cheese 1/4cup
2 tablespoon Dry bread crumbs; coarsely
ground

Preheat the oven to 475F (245C). Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise,
score them down the middle, to the skin but not through it, and place cut
side down on oiled baking sheets. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until
thoroughly tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Carefully peel
away the skins or scoop the eggplant out from the skins, and cut in
1/4inch thick (.75 cm) lengthwise slices.

Reset oven: 425F (220C).

Meanwhile, quarter and seed the tomatoes. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a
large, heavy bottomed nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic.
When it begins to color, after about 30 seconds to a minute, add the
tomatoes, sugar, and salt. Cook stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes until
the tomatoes are cooked down and beginning to stick to the pan. Stir in the
basil, simmer for a few more minutes, and remove from the heat.

Put the tomatoes through the medium blade of a food mill. Adjust salt and
add pepper.

Oil a 3quart (3liter) gratin dish. Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce
over the bottom and top with onethird of the eggplant. Spoon onethird of
the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant. Make 2 more layers, sprinkle
on the cheese, and bread crumbs, and drizzle on the olive oil.

Bake for 30 minutes in the hot 425F oven, until the top browns and the
mixture is sizzling. Remove from the heat and serve hot or warm.

ADVANCE PREP: This will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator
before baking. 161 Cals, 5g fat. 28% cff.

Gratin d'aubergines et de tomates. From "Provencal Light," by Martha Rose
Shulman (Bantam, 1994). Serves 6. This heady gratin has everything I love
about eggplant Parmesan, minus the fat. Although I think of it as a summer
dish, inspired by the luscious piles of dark purple eggplants and red ripe
tomatoes I see in Provencal markets at that time of year, you could make
the grain with canned tomatoes in winter. MRS

From PROVENCAL LIGHT," by Martha Rose Shulman (Bantam, 1994). Edited by
Pat Hanneman 3/98

Recipe by: PROVENCAL LIGHT, by Martha Rose Shulman

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by KitPATh phannema@wizard.ucr.edu on Mar 16,
1998