Marinated Onions, Sweet & Sour Cipolline Onions,Eggplant parmigiana

Marinated Onions

2 large onions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar, depending on sweetness of onions
1/4 teaspoon salt

Slice onions into half. Slice each half into very thin slices. Mix oil, vinegar and sugar together.Pour over onions and let marinate at room temperature for 3-4 hours before refrigerating.

Sweet and Sour Cipolline Onions

2 pounds cipolline onions
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Boil water in large saucepan. Blanch onions for a minute or two, immediately remove and place in ice water. Remove skins.
Mix onions, sugar, vinegar, olive oil and salt on a baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes until onions caramelize. Turn midway through baking and do not let burn.

Eggplant Parmigiana

2 large eggplants
Salt, pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon salt
few grinds pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic
Olive oil

Cut eggplant into thin rounds. Salt and allow water to come out. Rinse and dry. Brush each slice with olive oil. Lightly salt each slice.
On an oiled baking sheet, place eggplant. You will have to do this in several shifts. Preheat broiler.
Broil eggplant until browned on one side. Flip over, lightly salt other side. Brown until done and place on platter to cool. Do the same with the remaining eggplant.

Make sauce. Place crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce in large saucepan. Add basil, oregano, crushed garlic, salt and sugar. Heat until boiled. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Shred mozzarella cheese. Mix ricotta cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

In a large casserole dish, place several tablespoons of cooked tomato sauce. Place eggplant slices to form the first layer. Put tomato sauce over eggplant. Put shredded cheese over that, followed by several dollops of ricotta cheese. Repeat layering process. When the last layer of eggplant is placed on top, put sauce on top of it followed only by mozzarella cheese, not ricotta.

Cover with foil and heat in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Take foil off for the last 10 minutes until the top is brown.