Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups cooked rice
• 5 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 medium/large eggplant, quartered and sliced 1/2″ thick
• 1/2 to 1 pound mozzarella cheese

Directions

To make rice crust, combine rice with 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons onion, and egg.  Press into bottom and sides of greased 9″ pie pan. Sauté medium onion and green pepper in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter until transparent. Add tomato paste and 1 cup hot water, and bring to a boil. Add eggplant; simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon half of eggplant mixture into crust. Add half of cheese. Add the remaining eggplant mixture, and top with remainder of cheese. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.  Cool slightly before cutting.