Cooking Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line two sheet pans with foil for easy cleanup. Brush foil generously with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange eggplant slices in even layers on prepared pans. Brush tops of eggplant slices lightly and quickly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate pans and bake another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• While eggplant is roasting, make the meat sauce. Heat a medium-large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until lightly browned, breaking it up occasionally.
• Drain excess grease, reduce heat to low, and add Italian seasoning and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes.
• Add fire-roasted tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. Add fresh basil and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
• For the parmesan sauce, heat heavy cream in a saucepan until simmering. Reduce heat and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add Parmesan and mozzarella, stirring until melted and smooth. Cover and set aside.
• To assemble gratin, lightly grease a low casserole dish. Arrange half of the eggplant, spoon ½ of the meat sauce over, and repeat layers.
• Pour the Parmesan sauce over the top of the eggplant and sauce.
• Reduce temperature to 350˚F and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with crusty bread.