Baked Eggplant with Mushroom Tomato Sauce

My sister found this recipe, and it has become one of our favorites. Aaron just loves it! The eggplant and mushrooms are so meaty, you'd never know it was a vegetarian dish. You'll never miss the meat! My sister recommends serving it over noodles, and I always do that.

Baked Eggplant with Mushroom-and-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 peeled eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
• 2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat; add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through mushrooms). Cover and cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring mixture occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; uncover and cook for 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

Spread half of mushroom mixture in bottom of a 1 1/2-quart round baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant slices over mushroom mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top with 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/3 cup mozzarella. Spread remaining mushroom mixture over mozzarella; top with remaining eggplant slices. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon pepper; top with remaining tomato sauce. Cover and bake at 375° for 1 hour. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes.

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2000