Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Stacks Recipe

The good thing about having all of these vegetables around is that I keep coming up with new recipes and meals. They may not always be original, but they're new to me. Last week I made roasted eggplant slices and then couldn't decide what to do with them. I had a tomato that I needed to use and some feta cheese, so I stacked crumbled feta, basil leaves and a thick slice of tomato on top of each eggplant slice and drizzled the stack with balsamic vinegar. How's that for deliciously creative? I'd share a picture, but I ate them so quickly that I didn't think to get out the camera until they were all gone.

If you want to give them a try, they're super simple to make. I roasted the eggplant one night while making dinner and then had the stacks the following night.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Stacks
Makes 2 Servings

1 medium eggplant, sliced in 1/2" thick rounds (about 8 slices)
1/4 cup olive oil
non-stick cooking spray
2 medium tomatoes, sliced in 1/2" thick rounds (about 8 slices)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 large basil leaves
sea salt, ground pepper
1 - 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle the eggplant slices lightly with sea salt and place in a strainer over a large bowl or raised-side baking sheet. Set aside for 30 minutes to remove excess liquid and bitterness. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pat the eggplant slices dry and then lightly coat both sides of each slice with olive oil using a brush or oil spritzer. Use more or less oil as necessary to get an even coating. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and spread the eggplant slices out in a single layer. Sprinkle with ground pepper. Bake for 35-45 minutes until slices are browned and caramelized. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the baking sheet.

To serve, place four slices of eggplant on each plate and top each with about a tablespoon of crumbled feta, a basil leaf, one slice of tomato, and a 1/2 tsp or so of balsamic vinegar.

How do you like your eggplant?