Preheat the oven to 400°F. Begin by slicing the eggplant into thick rounds. You want each slice to be hearty enough to form ...

Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan and ... Top with a second eggplant slice, tomato slice and mozzarella slice. You should have 6 "stacks." ...

Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Top with a few mozzarella slices and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the parmesan. Tear one-third of the basil leaves over the cheese.

However, perhaps one of the most recognizable ways to cook an eggplant is the Italian specialty, Parmigiana di Melanzane, or eggplant parmesan -- though it too can be tricky to get just right ...