Baked Eggplant With Cheese

From the July 10, 2009 issue of Athens Plus magazine. This recipe is from Dina Nikolaou.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  large eggplants, cut in 1 cm slices
• 6  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  onion, finely sliced
• 2  garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 8  ripe tomatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 300  g  goat's cheese, grated
• 1  cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried basil
•  salt
•  pepper

Directions

1. Put the eggplant slices in a colander, salt well and leave for at least half an hour until they sweat, to remove the bitterness. It will also prevent them from absorbing too much oil while cooking.
2. Rinse with cold water, dry with kitchen paper and lay on a baking tray.
3. Brush the slices on both sides with the olive oil and grill on the highest shelf in the oven for 3-4 minutes on each side.
4. Remove and set aside.
5. Heat the onion and garlic in 2-3 tablespoons of water in a large frying pan, add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of oil and stir.
6. Add the oregano and thyme, season and simmer (at 3 on a scale of 1-9 or at 1 on a scale of 1-3) for about six minutes or until the sauce thickens a little.
7. Remove from the hob and add the fresh herbs (parsley, basil).
8. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
9. Lightly oil a deep baking dish (about 30x22 cm), add a layer of eggplant and sprinkle with half the cheese.
10. Then add a layer of sauce, continue with the rest of the eggplant slices and then the rest of the cheese.
11. Add the rest of the sauce and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.