Baked Sausage & Eggplant Gratin

SERVES

4 to 6

COOK TIME

30 MINS

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb (3 to 4) crumbled Italian sausage, casing removed and
1 ½ cups Nonna Pia’s Puttanesca Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large (1 ½ to 2 lbs) eggplant, cut into 1/2-in slices
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup panko

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-in baking dish.
In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm olive oil and brown Italian sausage.
Drain excess fat, stir in Puttanesca sauce and set aside.
In a separate large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices for about 2 minutes per side until lightly golden.
Season each with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and set aside.
Spread half of the sausage mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.
Lay eggplant into baking dish, layering slices with a slight overlap like shingles on a roof, spooning a bit of the sauce mixture onto each one.
Top with remaining sauce mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 30minutes.

Pasta Sauce

Puttanesca

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