Eggplant (aubergine) Creole Casserole

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 medium eggplants, washed and sliced into rounds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1 tablespoon peanut oil, which will not absorb as much into the eggplant when frying
• 2 medium onions, cut into quarters
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 7 fresh peeled tomatoes, quartered
• 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 3 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated romano cheese

Recipe

• 1 wash and slice the eggplant.
• 2 sprinkle well with some salt in a strainer and let sit for 30 minutes.
• 3 rinse salt off well, and pat dry on towelling.
• 4 heat the first amount of oil in a fry pan and saute each slice of eggplant just until golden with brown colourings.
• 5 arrange eggplant in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.
• 6 hint: sometimes i brush oil on my eggplant and place on a cookie sheet, and bake in the oven turning once to brown each side, maybe a total of 12 minutes, instead of the frying.
• 7 also with the pan frying you might have to add more oil, as the eggplant will absorb the oil.
• 8 (or use peanut oil which does not get too absorbed into vegie.).
• 9 after layering into your baking dish set oven to 350 degrees f.
• 10 heat the second tablespoon on olive oil in a skillet and saute onion, peppers, and celery for 5 minutes.
• 11 add the tomatoes and cook two minutes.
• 12 add the paste, and water and spices.
• 13 cook until thickened.
• 14 pour over the eggplant evenly.
• 15 sprinkle with the romano cheese.
• 16 sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
• 17 sprinkle with the black pepper freshly ground.
• 18 bake in the oven until cheese is melted and browned and all is heated thru.
• 19 approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
• 20 as you can tell from this recipe each item is already cooked to your preference before going into the oven for final 15 minutes.
• 21 so the thickness of the sauce and doness of the eggplant is already almost to its peak.
• 22 alternative topping.
• 23 3 whole eggs, a quarter cup of cheese grated and 1 cup bread crumbs, make a paste and smear over the top evenly (like a pie crust) then place in oven to bake the 20 minutes.