Tomato Eggplant Bake

This was a new recipe I was trying out from a Taste of Home magazine of a couple years ago. As I prepared it, though, I realized that except for the baking time and temperature, it was almost exactly like another recipe (with the odd name of Baked Eggplant Sandwich) I'd copied from a cookbook at a friend's house at least 25 years ago. So to share the recipe here, I've sort of merged the two recipes together. It is a very tasty way to enjoy eggplant!

TOMATO-EGGPLANT BAKE

1 medium eggplant
2 large or 4 small tomatoes (I used 4 small plum tomatoes)
1 onion
1 green pepper
Salt & pepper
Dried basil
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
3 Tblsp. olive oil*
Grated parmesan cheese to taste (a couple of tablespoons or less)
4 to 6 slices mozzarella cheese, or about a cup of shredded mozzarella

Heat the oven to 350º. Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil, or grease it lightly. Wash the vegetables and slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick. Slice the other vegetables about 1/4 inch thick. Layer the vegetables in the baking pan, sprinkling with salt, pepper and basil as you go. Combine the crumbs and olive oil; sprinkle over the vegetables. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over crumbs. Cover dish with foil and bake at 350º for 1 hour. Remove foil; cut sliced mozzarella into quarters and arrange over top of crumbs. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes more until cheese is melted and bubbly. Makes about 4 servings as a main dish.

* Original recipe calls for 1/2 cup melted butter. I leave it to your conscience.