We love the idea of making food in advance especially when it can be healthy as well as a crowd pleaser. The super simple recipe is an added bonus. My kids would have preferred the breaded and fried version of this, but they enjoyed the fun shape, and ate it with a generous serving of pasta on the side.
- 2 small eggplants cut into 24 one inch slices
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup of marinara sauce
- 24 thin slices of mozzarella
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 375. Add parchment paper to a baking sheet and place the slices on the pan (you may need two pans). Brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the eggplant is soft.
Brush each of the 12 muffin cups with olive oil. Place a teaspoon of sauce on each bottom. Next add two slices of eggplant to each cup. Top with each with ricotta, then mozzarella then more sauce. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the mozzarella is slightly browned. Allow to cool slightly and gently remove with a spoon and serve with a salad or side of pasta.