Baked Eggplant Antipasto

Ingredients

• 8 ounce tomato sauce canned
• 14 ounce canned tomatoes diced undrained canned
• 2 large eggplant cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 tablespoons basil fresh chopped to taste
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped to taste
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 12 servings ground pepper black to taste
• 8 ounce marinated artichoke hearts undrained
• 1 tablespoon oregano fresh chopped to taste
• 0.3 cup pecorino-romano cheese grated to taste
• 0.5 cup pinenuts 
• 1  onion red thinly sliced
• 8 ounce roasted peppers red drained cut into strips
• 12 servings salt to taste
• 0.5 cup mozzarella cheese shredded to taste

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• oven
• baking pan

Directions

1. Layer eggplant slices in a bowl, sprinkling salt onto each layer. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Spread a layer of paper towel on a work surface; drain eggplant slices on paper towels.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
4. Mix diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers in a bowl.
5. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat; toast pine nuts, stirring occasionally, in the hot skillet until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir toasted pine nuts, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper into tomato mixture using a fork.
6. Spread a layer of eggplant in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; spoon 1/3 the tomato mixture atop eggplant layer.
7. Sprinkle 1/3 the red onion, 1/3 the mozzarella, and 1/3 the Pecorino-Romano cheese over tomato layer. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 40 minutes.