Eggplant Fans

I love eggplant, and this is another way to try it. You will see that you don't have to be Italian to love eggplant. You may serve this as a side, or stuff it into a pita bread or Italian roll for a sandwich, add some cheese if you wish. This is so yummy and an added bonus, it is a healthy dish too. Oh, and yes, your house will smell delicious while this is baking. Buon appetito!

Eggplant Fans

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 12 oz. jar marniated artichoke hearts in oil, drained
• 1 can whole black olives, only using ½ cup drained
• 2 bay leaves, broken into small pieces
• ½ tsp. oregano
• ½ tsp. thyme
• 4 cloves garlic crushed in garlic press, or ½ tsp. garlic powder
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large glass pyrex dish
• foil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash eggplant and slice in half length wise, then slice into fans, but not cutting all the way through to the top. Drizzle about 2 Tbsp. olive oil on bottom of pyrex dish. Add about half of the onion, then season with half of the oregano, thyme and garlic. Place eggplant fans on top of onion mixture, then stuff between fans: tomato slices, artichoke hearts and olives. Scatter about broken pieces of bay leaves around and top with the rest of the onion. Then season with the rest with oregano, garlic and thyme. Drizzle about 2 more Tbsp. of olive oil over top. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

This is a slight variation of one of my favorites, the original is from my Time/Life cookbook for vegetables.