Eggplant and Tomato Casserole

Name: Eggplant and Tomato Casserole
Ingredients: 400 g eggplant; 300 g tomatoes; 150 g mozzarella cheese; 50 g any cheese; 1-2 cloves garlic; 1 egg; salt; pepper; vegetable oil for frying

Fragrant pan-fried eggplant, juicy tomato sauce, and deliciously stretchy mozzarella — all this goodness is baked in the oven under an irresistible cheesy crust. It's incredibly tasty, hearty, and aromatic. To keep the eggplant from soaking up too much oil during the initial frying and to prevent the dish from turning out overly greasy, I recommend coating the eggplant slices in beaten egg before frying. If mozzarella isn't available in your area, you can use regular cheese — such as cheddar, Colby, or similar (the same kind used for the top layer). It will turn out a little different, of course, but still delicious.

Ingredients:

400 g eggplant
300 g tomatoes
150 g mozzarella cheese
50 g any cheese
1-2 cloves garlic
1 egg
salt
pepper
vegetable oil for frying

How to cook eggplant and tomato casserole

Peel the eggplant and slice into rounds about 2-3 mm thick.

Lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt using a whisk. Add the eggplant slices and toss with your hands so each slice is coated with egg. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Drain off any liquid released by the eggplant. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant slices and fry until lightly golden on the bottom.

Flip and fry the other side the same way. Transfer the cooked eggplant to paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and let them sit for 2-3 minutes.

Score a cross on each tomato and peel off the skin. Dice the tomatoes into small cubes.

Place the tomatoes in the skillet, season lightly with salt and pepper, and add the garlic pressed through a garlic press. Simmer over low heat with the lid on for 10 minutes.