Eggplant & Tomato Slices with Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants (1¾ to 2 lb. total)
1 large tomato (about 4 inches in diameter)
2 medium tomatoes (about 2 ½ inches in diameter)
3 oz mozzarella cheese from 2% milk (about ¾ cup)
¼ teaspoon pepper
Prepare baking sheet for oven at 325° F degrees or grill on moderate heat.
Cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end.
Cut 4 (1/3-inch thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 center slices (1/3-inch thick) from each medium tomato.
Lightly brush or spray eggplant rounds on both sides with oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Bake in oven or on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing eggplant with more oil occasionally if it looks dry, until eggplant is very tender, 10-15 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)
Make Stacks:
On baking pan, arrange 4 largest eggplant rounds side by side and spray with oil, add a layer of fresh basil leaves, then top each with 1 of 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese. Make another layer with medium-size eggplant rounds, basil leaves, medium tomato rounds, pepper, and mozzarella cheese, then top with remaining eggplant and cheese.
Set baking pan on grill or in oven at 450° F and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and garnish with fresh basil leaf.
Nutritional Analysis Per Stack: 105 calories, 7 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 11 mg cholesterol, 159 mg sodium, 2.5 g fiber