Roasted eggplant parmesan

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and another with a layer of paper towel.
2. Trim off the top and bottom of the eggplant and slice into 1cm thick disks. Place the slices in a single layer on the paper towel lined cookie sheet and evenly sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. This will draw out some of the moisture from the eggplant and give it a super lovely texture.
3. Allow the salted eggplant to sit for about 20 minutes while you gently heat the tomato sauce on low and preheat your oven to 375ºF.
4. Pat the eggplant dry with another piece of paper towel and spray the foil lined cookie sheet with a good coating of the non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheet and spritz with another good coating of the non-stick cooking spray. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and pop the eggplant into your preheated oven for 20 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.
5. Remove the eggplant from your oven and top each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and evenly sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. At this point, the eggplant slices should look almost like little pizzas. Lay a piece of mozzarella on top of four of the eggplant slices and pop the whole thing back into the oven and cook until the cheese is perfectly melted and maybe a bit golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. If you’re in a rush or just want some crispy bits of cheese, throw on the broiler but be careful of burning the cheese.
6. To serve, dollop some sauce down onto your plates and divide the Parmesan-topped roasted eggplant slices between the plates, making sure to finish each stack with a cheesy mozzarella layer.
7. Before serving, toss some fresh basil on there as well as some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if using.