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1
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
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2
Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
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3
Add the tomatoes and sugar, lower the heat, and cook for 25 minutes.
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4
While the tomatoes are cooking, season 8 eggplant slices with salt and pepper.
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5
(If you have more than 8 slices, set the remainder aside for another use or discard.)
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6
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
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7
Add the eggplant slices and sear on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
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8
Remove from the heat and let cool.
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9
Add the water to the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
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10
Puree in a blender and strain through a fine sieve.
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11
Return the tomato soup to the pot, add the chopped basil, and simmer for 5 minutes.
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12
Preheat the oven to 375F.
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13
Spread the eggplant slices with the pesto.
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14
Put a slice of mozzarella on 4 of the slices.
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15
Top with the remaining 4 eggplant slices, pesto side down, to make sandwiches.
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16
Brush the bread with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place on a small baking sheet.
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17
Toast in the oven until golden brown.
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18
Top each slice with an eggplant sandwich and continue heating until the cheese begins to melt.
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19
While the sandwiches are heating, reheat the tomato broth.
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20
Place an eggplant sandwich in the bottom of each warm bowl.
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21
Pour the tomato broth around the sandwiches.
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22
Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with the basil leaves, and serve immediately.
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23
For the Pesto (Makes about 1 cup)
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24
Put the basil leaves in a food processor.
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25
With the motor running, add the oil in a thin steady stream and process until the basil is finely chopped, about 1 minute.
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26
Add the garlic and pine nuts and process for another 20 seconds, or until the pine nuts are finely chopped but not a paste.
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27
Transfer the pesto to a bowl.
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28
Stir in the cheeses.
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29
Taste and season with salt as necessary.
