Turkish Eggplant Tomato Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of medium-sized eggplant (I prefer Japanese eggplant, but Italian will do) thinly sliced
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1-4 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided

Preparation

• 1 Preheat the oven to 350F.
• 2 Lightly salt the eggplant slices and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Pat the slices dry and set aside.
• 3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil.
• 4 .Pan fry the eggplant in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary between batches so the eggplant doesn't burn, but try not to have too heavy a hand - the pan just needs to be greased.
• 5. Remove the eggplant to a plate.
• 6. Add the onion to the skillet and saute over medium heat until soft.
• 7. Add the garlic, chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cinnamon. Cook for one minute more, until fragrant.
• 8 Add tomatoes and simmer until thickened slightly, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half the parsley.
• 9. Spread a layer of tomato sauce in an oven proof casserole dish. Layer eggplant and sauce.
• 10. Cover with foil or casserole lid and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft and the sauce has reduced.
• 11. Let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
• 12. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.