Italian eggplant in tomato sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 cm thick slices. Sprinkle the slices generously with salt on both sides and place them in a colander. Let the salt soak in. Chop the onion and crush or finely chop the garlic. Cut the basil leaves into strips.

Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil per person in a frying pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and Italian herbs. Bake 3 - 4 minutes. Deglaze with 1/2 tbsp black balsamic vinegar per person, the diced tomatoes and the passata. Stir well and season with salt, pepper and half of the basil. Cook it all, covered, for 10-15 minutes.

Tear or cut the buffalo mozzarella into small pieces. Roughly chop half a ciabatta per person and mix in a bowl with 1/2 tbsp olive oil per person, pepper and salt. Spread 2 tbsp flour per person, pepper and salt over a large plate. Pat the eggplant slices dry with kitchen paper and scrape off the salt. Then roll the slices through the flour.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil per person in a frying pan over high heat. Bake half of the aubergine slices for 4 - 6 minutes until golden brown. Turn them over halfway through. Remove from pan and drain on kitchen paper. Heat again 1/2 tbsp olive oil per person in the same frying pan and repeat with the remaining aubergine slices.

Divide a little tomato sauce over the bottom of an oven dish. Place 1/3 of the aubergine slices on top and spoon 1/3 of the tomato sauce over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the Italian cheese and 1/3 of the buffalo mozzarella. Repeat this with the remaining aubergine slices, tomato sauce and cheese. Divide the ciabatta croutons over the top and bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. Bake the remaining ciabatta in the oven for the last 6 minutes.

Divide the oven dish between the plates and garnish with the remaining basil. Serve with the remaining ciabatta.