Eggplant 'à la tomato'

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg eggplant(s)
• 12 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ bunch thyme
• 4 stalks of parsley
• 1 can of tomatoes (850 g)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 75 g Parmesan, freshly grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Wash the eggplants, remove the stems, and cut them into 1 cm thick slices. Fry in batches in hot oil until golden brown. Place on kitchen paper, pierce several times with a fork, cover with kitchen paper, and let rest for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the onions and garlic and fry in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes with their juice and crush them slightly. Finely chop the parsley and add it along with the thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme, purée the sauce if desired, then stir in about half of the Parmesan cheese and season to taste. Pat the eggplant slices dry, arrange them in a shallow baking dish like roof tiles, season with salt and pepper, and cover with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, drizzle with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (175°C fan oven) for about 20 minutes. This amount is for a standalone dish served with baguette. It also works well as a side dish with fish; in this case, half the amount is sufficient.