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1
Preheat the oven to 400.
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2
Brush six 1/2-cup ramekins with olive oil and coat the bottoms and sides with the bread crumbs.
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3
Tap out any excess crumbs.
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4
Squeeze as much juice from the tomatoes as possible; discard the juice.
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5
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan.
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6
Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 2 minutes; discard the garlic.
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7
Add the tomatoes and cook over moderately high heat until reduced to a thick sauce, about 20 minutes.
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8
Remove from the heat, add 2 tablespoons of the basil and season with salt.
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9
Slice the wider eggplant lengthwise into eighteen 6-by-1/4-inch-thick strips.
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10
Cut the narrow eggplant crosswise into eighteen 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
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11
Arrange the strips and rounds on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with 6 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper.
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12
Bake for about 8 minutes, or until tender.
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13
As the eggplant is done, transfer the slices to a platter, keeping them intact.
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14
Lower the oven temperature to 375.
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15
Line each ramekin with 3 strips of eggplant, allowing the excess to hang over the edges.
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16
Add about 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce, a large pinch of the basil and 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella and cover with an eggplant round.
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17
Repeat the layering process 2 more times.
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18
Bring the overhanging strips of the eggplant over the filling to enclose it.
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19
Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, or until heated through.
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20
Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold each one onto a small plate.
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21
Drizzle the remaining tomato sauce around the timbales, garnish with any remaining basil and serve.
