Just five minutes of active preparation.

I often find myself in situations where I want to cook something, but I lack specific ideas. So, I simply open the fridge and see what ingredients are available and what I can come up with from them. Once, upon discovering eggplants, mozzarella, and tomato sauce with basil, I decided to try making eggplant Parmesan. It turned out to be very delicious!

In the original recipe for this dish, Parmesan cheese is used, but I only had mozzarella. Unlike Parmesan, it gives a pleasant creamy taste and melts nicely!

Ingredients:

— 1 eggplant
— 1 large ball of mozzarella (or substitute with original Parmesan)
— 1 cup of Barilla tomato sauce with basil (or any other)
— 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
— Italian seasoning mix, salt – to taste.

Instructions:

1. Start by slicing the eggplant into slices about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and let them sit for about 30 minutes. This helps to draw out bitterness. Afterward, rinse the slices under water and pat them dry.

2. Preheat your oven to 400°F (about 200°C).

3. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with vegetable oil using a pastry brush or your fingers.

4. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.

5. Layer the eggplant slices on top of the sauce, followed by slices of mozzarella cheese. You can also use Parmesan if you prefer.

6. Sprinkle Italian seasoning mix and a pinch of salt over the top of the cheese.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the eggplant is tender.

8. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious eggplant «Parmigiano»!