Eggplant Parmesan

This is one of the dishes that have made Italian cuisine well know over the world. Try a few dishes from Southern Italy and you may never want to go home again.

Slice the mozzarella into thin slices, then strips. Set aside.

Peel the eggplant and slice thin. Press to remove excess juice, then dry for 2 hours. Fry the eggplant, using olive oil rather than safflower or vegetable oil.

While the eggplant is cooking, dice and drain the tomatoes. Then cook in a fresh pan for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Be liberal with basil as the tomato turns to paste with stirring.

Now place the tomato sauce into a baking dish. Beat an egg and mix into the tomato sauce. Next, arrange the eggplant over the sauce and cover with cheese. Layer on a few basil leaves and a bit more mozzarella. Continue layering until you're out of ingredients.

Bake at 275°F/135°C for about an hour.