This is a keeper and ticks all the boxes -- creamy, cheesy, custardy, tangy...I happened to have Halloumi in the fridge and chunky tomato sauce and basil oil ice cubes in the freezer so this came together fast; you could substitute Mozzarella, jarred spaghetti sauce and a dollop of pesto if you had those instead.
1/2 large eggplant, cut into 1 inch slices (I got three)
1/2 package Halloumi cheese, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin half moons
1/2 cup chunky tomato sauce
1 tsp basil oil or pesto
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425.
Place the eggplant slices and the Halloumi on a foil lined baking tray. Top each slice of eggplant with some of the onion, salt, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes until the eggplant is soft and custardy in the center and the skin is crispy and the Halloumi has started to bronze on the surface.
About five minutes before the eggplant and cheese is supposed to come out of the oven, heat the tomato sauce until hot.
Once cooked, remove the tray from the oven. Gently stack the eggplant slices and then top with the two pieces of Halloumi. Pour the tomato sauce around the sides of the eggplant and then drizzle the basil oil over that.
Eat at once with crusty bread and a green salad.