Ingredients:

2 lbs (about 2 large) eggplants
32 oz jar of roasted red pepper
1 large onion, chopped finely
Kosher salt (if needed for taste)
1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1 16-oz jar of tomato and basil sauce
½ of a whole garlic, peeled and minced (if you don’t like garlic use less)
Olive oil
Ground black pepper (to your taste)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup grated high quality Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Goya Adobo Seasoning without MSG
2 or more baking or cookie sheets

Preparation:

Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.

Prepare tomato sauce. Run your knife through tomatoes for a rough chop, add tomato sauce, chopped onions, minced garlic and 1/3 cup olive oil in a pan, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste and set aside.

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs. Mix well. I also like to add a teaspoon of Adobo, black pepper and Italian seasoning to the flour and breadcrumb mix at this time.  In another wide shallow bowl beat eggs and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of your baking sheet(s) with olive oil. Dip the eggplant slices first in the beaten egg, then in the flour mixture. Working in batches, arrange coated eggplant on baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  When the oven is heated to 350 degrees, pop the sheet into oven and bake until golden brown on both sides, turning once.  Note, you can also fry the eggplant till golden brown too, but I always like to take the healthier route.

Once the eggplant is golden brown, prepare an approximate 10×15 inch glass baking dish.  Coat the bottom of the baking dish with chunky, tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with red peppers and sprinkle with one third of the grated Parmesan.  Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, half the remaining Parmesan, and red peppers. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.  If you have more ingredients leftover continue to build more layers.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the top is slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.  If you can help it, don’t serve until the next day, that way all the ingredients will have time to blend together.

Serve with a dusting of parmesan cheese and a simple field green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or lemon.  Serves around 8.

Buon appetito!!

P.S. Feel free to add black olives to your tomato sauce, that is, if you like them.