Baked Eggplants (Vegetarian/Vegan)

I've tried making this for the first time a couple of days ago...It turned out pretty well (according to my parents...Personally, I'm not a eggplant lover). It makes a pretty good side dish complementing main dishes like spaghetti, or party bite-size snack. Here I have listed the basic baked eggplants and some toppings for variation. You can also use soy cheese in place of cheese and olive oil in place of butter to make this dish vegan.

(For basic baked eggplants:)

~1/4 cup olive oil
~1/4 cup butter (or oilive oil, for vegan)
~1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or crumbed soy cheese, for vegan)
1 large eggplant

1. Melt the butter. Mix the olive oil with butter.
   
2. Slice the eggplant to about 1-inch thick.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degree F. Lightly grease the sheet of aluminum foil.
   
4. Dipp the eggplant slices into the olive oil/butter mix, then dip the slices in the parmesan cheese. Make sure that the parmesan cheese covers the eggplant slice. Lay the slices on the aluminum foil.

(Now, if you want toppings that goes on the eggplant slices, read on. Otherwise, put the eggplants to the oven and bake for 25 minutes)

Some possible toppings include:

• More parmesan cheese!
• Marina sauce
• Olive sauce, or olive crumbs
• Bread crumbs
• Mazzarella cheese slices
• A little seasoning such as dried parsley or black pepper
  

...or use your imagination on what's good on those slices of eggplants.

Notes:

• I suggest serving the eggplants when they are cooled down a bit (warm). The flavor or the topping and the parmesan cheese are more absorbed by then.