Aubergine, Tomato and Cheese Bake

Tasty way to use up aubergines - can be made spicy if thats the way you like it!

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   1. Make the tomato sauce: saute the garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until pale golden brown; crumble in the chilli pepper (discard the seeds if you prefer a less peppery dish). Seed the tomatoes and chop coarsely; add to the garlic and chilli with a pinch of salt. Stir.
   
   2. Cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then. Towards the end of this time, add a generous pinch of oregano.
   
   3. While the tomatoes are simmering, prepare and fry the aubergines. Trim off the ends, peel and slice lengthwise just under 1/4 in (approx. 1/2 cm) thick. Heat plenty of oil in a deep-fryer to 350°F (180°C) and fry a few slices at a time; alternatively, shallow-fry them. They should be pale golden brown but not crisp or dry.
   
   4. Drain well, spread out on kitchen paper to finish draining and sprinkle with a little salt.
   
   5. Thinly slice the mozzarella. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) mark 6.
   
   6. Lightly oil a wide, shallow ovenproof dish or small roasting tin, cover the bottom with a layer of aubergine slices, sprinkle with a little of the sauce and with some of the grated hard cheese. Top with a sprinkling of some of the basil leaves, torn into small pieces, and with some mozzarella slices. Keep layering in this way until you have used all the ingredients, finishing with a mozzarella layer.
   
   7. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes; finish by browning the top lightly under a very hot grill/broiler.
   Serve at once.