Roasted Eggplant with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil

This blog has moved to a different site.  To get more great recipes and see new post, go to cookingwithbrittany.com

Tonight was one of those nights were I just felt like going to the store and picking out whatever called out to me, as long as it wasn't mushrooms, zucchini, green beans or asparagus

....As I have had an over abundant amount of these things in the past two weeks and needed a change of pace!

So I got a multitude of different ingredients, from eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil like the title suggests to leeks, lemons, Brussels sprouts, and tilapia.  And so the ideas began to swarm.

I needed something different, desperately.

I have made eggplant fries before.  They are completey delicious and have resulted in one of my best food memories, though that is best left for a different post (one that has to do with the eggplant fries). 

So this seemed like the complete opposite of that and something different to do with eggplant.  You can look at it as a spin on eggplant pizzas or a spin on caprese salad or you can simply look at it as a deliciously yummy way to serve eggplants.

Enjoy.

Roasted Eggplant with Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise- 1/2 inch thick
2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, pearl or torn into smaller pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper.

Directions:
1.  Place the sliced eggplant, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
2.  Sprinkle with minced garlic and thyme, and layer with sliced Roma tomatoes.  Top with  mozzarella and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
3.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until eggplant is soft and cheese is golden brown