Eggplant-tomato-pepper cous cous with mozzarella

A lovely way to prepare and serve cous cous, with flavorful eggplant and a balsamic herbal tomato sauce; and with some mozzarella slices to serve it (the cheese's taste seems to fit the rest of the dish perfectly).
I came up with this on the bus. On my way to my faculty. Becaue that's what I do. Imagine lots and lots of combinations for anything. So when I hit a really good one, you can be sure it was very well and carefully thought of, planned, calibrated and tested :). Yes, even on the bus. I can't help it sometimes. :)
If you want to keep it vegan you can skip the mozzarella part altogether without affecting the rest of the dish. It will still be among the best cous-cous dishes you ever had. 
Enjoy.

Last year: Basic pancakes (crepes) (Romanian).
Two years ago: Focaccia with garlic oil, rosemary and yellow tomatoes (Italian) (vegan), Avgolemono (Greek chicken, lemon and egg soup) and Rice and hazelnut spicy colorful salad (vegan). 



Ingredients (serves 2):

• 1 small eggplant
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 large tomato
• 150 ml tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons red balsamic vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
• 1/2 of a red chili pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• a bit of olive oil for frying
• 125 g mozarella cheese
• 150 g cous cous

Slice the eggplant and fry the slices in a little olive oil (on low heat):

Turn them on the other side after 2-3 minutes. Remove when softened and fry the rest of them until all the eggplant has been transformed into softened slices.
Meanwhile, chop the pepper and tomato into little bits. Put them in the pan (removing the eggplant slices first) with a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and the dried herbs:

After they're softened also add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Mix well, cook for 1-2 more minutes, then return the eggplant slices to the pan (reserving two for decorating, if you want) and add more Herbes de Provence.

Mix, cook 1 more minute and turn off the heat. Keep warm. Prepare the cous cous according to package instructions, then add it to the pan:

Mix well and it's done. Transfer to serving plates and add the sliced mozzarella (if using). It's done, dig in! :)