Baked Eggplant Parmesan Casserole - Yay! For Food

Ingredients

• 2 lb. Italian eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 650 ml marinara sauce (or pasta sauce) (I used a garlic sweet basil sauce)
• ¼ cup (28 g) fresh basil leaves, chopped *(see first note)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup (2 oz) parmesan (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano), grated
• 250 g fresh mozzarella, sliced
• ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs (or Italian breadcrumbs)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Pinch of sea salt and black pepper