Eggplant is a most versatile and delicious vegetable. You don't have to salt or soak the Japanese eggplants to get the bitterness out as you do with their larger relatives.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the baguette into ¼″-thick rounds and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, then toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes. Turn them over and toast the other side.

• Remove from oven, rub one side of each toast with garlic clove, and set aside.

• Slice the eggplants into ¼″-thick slices, brush them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt.

• Grill the eggplant rounds on both sides for about 10 minutes total.

• Top each toast with a grilled eggplant round, sprinkle the pecorino Romano cheese over the eggplant, and garnish each with the roasted red bell pepper.