Eggplant Torte With Pesto And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

If you don't have a spare baking dish to weigh down the torte, cut a piece of cardboard the size of the pan, and wrap it in foil.

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 1/2 cup)
• 5 cooked lasagna noodles, cut into thirds
• 4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup Pesto
• 32 (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette, toasted (about 8 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Sprinkle salt over 9 eggplant slices; reserve any remaining slices for another use.
3. Place eggplant on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
4. Cool; halve slices crosswise.
5. Combine boiling water and tomatoes; let stand 10 minutes or until soft.
6. Drain and finely chop.
7. Coat an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; line dish with plastic wrap.
8. Lightly coat plastic wrap with cooking spray.
9. Arrange 5 noodle pieces in bottom of dish; top with half of cheese.
10. Spread half of pesto over cheese; top with 9 eggplant pieces.
11. Sprinkle half of tomato over eggplant.
12. Repeat layers, ending with noodles.
13. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing plastic wrap to extend over edges of dish.
14. Place an empty 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch baking dish on top of torte.
15. Place 2 (15-ounce) canned goods upright in dish.
16. Refrigerate overnight.
17. Remove cans, empty baking dish, and top sheet of plastic wrap.
18. Invert torte onto a platter, remove remaining plastic wrap.
19. Cut torte crosswise into 8 slices.
20. Serve at room temperature with bread slices.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 torte slice and 4 bread slices)