Roasted Eggplant with Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella and Basil

Easy and delicious!

1 eggplant, peeled, and cut into cubes

olive oil

1 red bell pepper

6 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed

fresh basil, torn

Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette

sea salt and pepper

Toss eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Rub pepper with olive oil and place on baking sheet, along with eggplant.

Roast at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning pepper once.  Remove pepper from oven and place in a small bowl; cover with a plate.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Continue roasting the eggplant for 45 minutes total, or until tender (will depend on how mature your eggplant is).

While eggplant is roasting, remove skin from pepper, then cut open and remove stem and seeds.  Cut into chunks.

Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Toss eggplant, red pepper, mozzarella and basil with vinaigrette.  Season with salt and pepper.

Yum, yum, yum!!

(For more detailed information on roasting peppers, click here.)

(And, if you'd like to try making your own raw milk mozzarella cheese, click here for directions!)

Heather's Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is fabulous for pizza sauce when making a simple, classic Pizza Margherita.  My neighbor Heather used this last summer on their pizzas, and I swear, it was the best pizza I have ever eaten!!

I made a number of batches as my tomatoes came in and stashed it away in the freezer for pizza this winter.

Source:  Heather Grove

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs. beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 large), cored, peeled, and cut into 3/4" chunks

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

sea salt and pepper

Stir oil and garlic together in large skillet.  Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is sizzling and and fragrant, about 2 min.  Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 t. salt.  Bring to rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, reducing heat if sauce begins to stick to bottom of pan, until thickened and chunky, 15-20 min.  Remove from heat.  Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.