Eggplant Parmesan This version is light and fresh, unlike the heavy and fat-laden versions Serve it at room temperature as part of an antipasto or serve it by itself as a first course for dinner or a light lunch entrée. Makes 6 to 8 Servings as a First Course
	Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced One 28-ounce can tomatoes, seeded and chopped with their juice 11/2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 medium eggplants, about 2 pounds Olive oil cooking spray 1/4 to 1/3 grated Parmesan cheese 2 to 4 basil sprigs
	Instructions: 1. Heat oil in a saucepan over moderate heat. Add onion and cook a few minutes. Add garlic and cook until onion is soft but not browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, hot pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, add basil and let cool at room temperature. Check for seasonings. 2. Meanwhile, trim (but don't peel) eggplants. Cut into ¼ inch thick slices. Spray a nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and cook slices over medium high-heat in batches until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Add more spray to skillet-off the heat-or eggplant slices, as needed.) As eggplant slices are done, put them on a serving platter, slightly overlapping each other. Season slices with salt and pepper. 3. Pour tomato sauce over eggplant, sprinkle with cheese and garnish with basil sprigs. Cooking Tip As the Italians have long since found out with their sumptuous antipasto tables, many room-temperature foods taste as good or better than foods that are hot or cold. That's because, the flavors aren't masked by extreme temperatures at either end of the spectrum.

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