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1
In a large deep saucepan, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
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2
Add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
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3
Reduce heat to low and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
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4
Meanwhile, stem and quarter the red pepper, removing seeds and pith.
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5
Char under broiler or over gas flame until skin is bubbled and blackened, then enclose in a baggie, Rubbermaid, or foil until cool enough to handle.
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6
Slough off the skin and discard.
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7
Dice pepper and add, along with any liquid from the container, to onion and garlic.
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8
Add tomatoes, but do not stir.
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9
Add herbs and seasonings through red pepper flakes, until surface of tomatoes is covered in herbs.
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10
Stir and bring to a boil.
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11
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, keeping a splatter guard across the top.
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12
After about an hour, remove bay leaf and reserve.
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13
Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce in the pan OR cool to room temperature and puree in blender or food processor and then return to heat.
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14
Check seasoning, return bay leaf, add honey, and continue to simmer another hour or until sauce is reduced to about 8 cups.
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15
(Can be made a day in advance.
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16
Refrigerate until ready for assembly next day.
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17
).
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18
Remove tops from eggplants, peel, and slice into 1/2 thick rounds.
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19
Salt generously and allow to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
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20
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300.
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21
Spread breadcrumbs* across a large baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, turn the oven off, and let the bread crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until just dry.
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22
Remove from oven and increase temperature to 375.
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23
(Can be made in advance.
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24
Once cool and dry, put crumbs into a ziploc, add the herbs, shake to combine, close, and leave at room temperature until needed.
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25
Lots of recipes call for mixing grated cheese in with the breadcrumbs, which sounds darned tasty, but would definitely necessitate refrigeration if made in advance.
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26
).
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27
*I had some stale homemade cheddar garlic bread from my bread machine.
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28
I used my food processors grater to make bulky crumbs which I toasted according to the recipe.
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29
Then I used my food processors blade to grind them much finer.
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30
Set up a dredging station: Put flour in a shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
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31
Whisk eggs in a second bowl.
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32
Put the dry crumbs in a third bowl and stir in the dried herbs.
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33
Cover two cooking sheets with foil and spray lightly with olive oil.
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34
Using a kitchen towel, wipe the salt from each slice of eggplant before placing into a fourth bowl.
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35
To minimize gunk, use one hand to move each eggplant slice into the flour, covering both sides and around the edges before shaking off any excess.
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36
Use the same hand to drop the floured eggplant into the egg.
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37
Now using the other hand, get the slice completely covered in egg, shake off excess, and drop the slice into the breadcrumbs.
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38
Scoop breadcrumbs over the top of the slice before turning it over and repeating.
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39
Shake off excess crumbs and place breaded slice onto the oiled cooking sheet.
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40
Repeat until all of the eggplant is breaded.
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41
Discard remaining flour, eggs, and crumbs.
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42
Spray tops of eggplant slices with olive oil and bake 20 minutes at 375 until golden brown.
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43
(Can be made in advance on the same day.
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44
Let the baked slices cool a bit and then transfer them into paper towel-lined ziplocs and refrigerate until an hour before dinner.
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45
).
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46
Raise oven temperature to 400.
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47
Butter a 10 x 15 x 2 casserole dish.
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48
Cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of red sauce.
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49
Add a layer of eggplant, followed by 1/2 of the shredded cheeses, and another layer of red sauce.
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50
Repeat, ending with red sauce, and top with fresh mozzarella and basil leaves.
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51
(Flays recipe calls for layering fresh basil leaves in assembly, which I totally forgot, so I just put some on top.)
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52
Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until bubbly and beginning to brown.
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53
(Allow more time if assembling refrigerated pre-cooked ingredients and sauce.)
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54
Let rest 5 - 10 minutes.
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55
Serve with remaining sauce alongside.
