Eggplant, Sausage and Peppers {Italian Style}

In my refrigerator sat a beautiful eggplant, just asking to be eaten. I don't always never know how I'm going to use an eggplant when I buy it. For some reason it's one of the more unique vegetables (although I'm fairly certain it's a fruit) and doesn't naturally lend itself to versatility. But maybe that's because I never experienced eggplant before the last few years. 

I was missing out. Aside from the potential potent bitterness if not prepared correctly, this lovely piece produce is perfect for sandwiches, Italian dinners, and soups. I also look forward to making a dip with a future eggplant. ;)   

This particular dinner is simple to prepare, but allow yourself about 45 minutes of time before dinner to give everything time to saute then bake. Bubbling with cheese, overflowing with nutritious eggplant, and with an added flavor bonus of sausage, this meal was a HUGE success in our house. I had seconds! 

Eggplant, Sausage and Peppers {Italian Style}

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1/2 onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 fully-cooked sausage links, sliced

1/2-1 cup pasta sauce 

1/4-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

canola oil

salt

pepper

Directions

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Remove and pat dry. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, drizzle with canola oil. Working in batches, arrange eggplant slices in the pan, sprinkle with pepper, and cook 5 minutes on each side. Cook the next batch of eggplant and add peppers, onions, garlic, and sausage to the pan to saute for 5 minutes. 

Stir in pasta sauce and all of the cooked eggplant in the skillet. Arrange in the bottom of a greased 9x9 inch pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. 

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