New Recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana

I'm especially proud of this one because I invented it all by myself. Not the concept of eggplant parmigiana of course, but this particular GF version was my brain child. And best of all: it was fairly easy! Especially when one has their own personal sous chef and dishwasher. Another plus, because the eggplant is baked in the oven instead of frying, it's a lot healthier than the typical restaurant version and completely gluten-free!

The bread crumbs were nice and crispy with a subtle garlic flavor and the eggplant was just the right consistency, although Joe doesn't recommend discussing the seeds.

Eggplant Parmigiana

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  
• 2 handfuls of fresh parsley, chopped
  
• Gillian's Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs (Plain)
• Tomato sauce (whatever you like and have on hand should work fine)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• salt
  
• pepper
• two eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk

Once again, not really any measurements- I like to eyeball ingredient amounts when I'm cooking. Combine the garlic, one handful of chopped parsley and the bread crumbs on a plate. Beat together the egg, water, milk, salt and pepper. Dip each slice of eggplant into the egg mixture and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with all the eggplant. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, flip each eggplant slice and bake another 15 minutes. Layer the baked eggplant slices in a casserole dish, beginning with tomato sauce, then eggplant covered with tomato sauce and both cheese, more eggplant, more sauce, more cheese! Bake another 20 minutes at 350 degrees. In the meantime, prepare your pasta (remember the salt the water!). Serve the eggplant with pasta (here I used Tinkyada Brown Rice Spaghetti) more grated Parmesan and the rest of the parsley. Serves four.

Joe was skeptical about the eggplant (as this picture clearly demonstrates!), apparently eggplant is very popular in Iraq and it isn't always prepared very well. But, he said while he never enjoyed eggplant before, he did like this- until the seed discussion. Victory nonetheless! This will probably become a staple- easy and delicious. Next time we'll see how my recipe works with veal.