Aubergine and Mozzarella

* original recipe from Don Alfonso where the photo as shown below was layers of round shape aubergine and mozzarella with tomato sauce dripping over it. Unfortunately, mine was not a bit close! Sorry~

Ingredients:
Aubergine
Mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, finely chopped
tomato sauce
salt and pepper

How to make:
1. Preheat oven at 175'C.

2. Wash and dry aubergine and cut them into thin slices. If possible, buy bigger size aubergine with a neat shape so that you can cut out even round slices.

3. Fry aubgerines in hot olive oil and drain on kitchen towels.

4. Thinly slice mozzarella cheese - keep the round shape and size similar to (or just a little bit smaller than) the aubergine slices.

5. Prepare your own version of the tomato sauce (as Don Alfonso's book did not mention how to make this tomato sauce at all!). For me, I use 1 tin can of whole tomatoes from Italy and puree it in a blender, then cook in a small saucepan by adding a little bit of ketchup, salt and sugar.

6. Alternate two slices of aubergine with a slice of mozzarella, a pinch of chopped basil and a dollop of tomato suace. Continue layering for a few times.

7. Put them in a ceramic dish and bake in overn for approx 10 mins.

8. Once done, nap each dish with the warm tomato sauce, centre the aubergine tower and decorate with a fresh basil leaf.

This should be an impressive and tasty starters or side dish which is easy to do and not costy at all. However, the one that i did (as seen in the top photo) was not acutally what i intended as i was not able to buy aubergines which i could cut out a few even round slices! and the mozzarella i got was only those "ball-shaped' ones and it's impossible to have even round slices from them too. As such, my aubgerine tower cannot stand up on their own without the toothpick in the centre. And with the toothpick in the centre, i can no longer decorate it with the basil leaf. Try for yourself. It's fun!
Enjoy~