eggplant stackers

1 large eggplant

2 tomatoes

fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsps balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

fresh basil, chopped

preheat oven to 425.  slice eggplant and arrange in single layer on a baking sheet.  in a bowl, mix together olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper to taste.  brush olive oil mixture onto the eggplants and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.  after 10 minutes, flip the eggplants over, brush on more olive oil mixture and return to oven for another 10 minutes.  in the meantime, slice the tomatoes and put them in a single layer on a baking sheet.  brush with the olive oil mixture and bake in the oven for 3 minutes.  once the vegetables are cooked, assemble the stacks by layering an eggplant, tomato, slice of mozzarella and some basil.  repeat to finish one "stacker."  once you have made all the stackers, return to oven for 5 minutes so that the cheese melts and is nice and gooey!  serve with toasted french bread.

we make this dish a lot in the summer since we grow eggplant, tomatoes, and basil in our garden.  i also recommend eating the dish with a steak knife...the eggplant, tomato and cheese are too difficult to cut using a fork or regular knife.