Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten-Free)

Here's another successful gluten-free recipe adapted from Elana Amsterdam's gluten-free cookbook (see my related posting about her book); it's like a lasagna but without the pasta, just delightful eggplants. It was delicious, and very filling! The tomato sauce is made from scratch--the separate recipe calls for 14 ounces of tomato paste, and I found the sauce too tangy for my taste, perhaps because the tomato paste is too concentrated. Maybe I'll add a little bit more water next time.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 1/2 to 2 cups blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups prepared tomato sauce (see recipe below)

2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and water.

Heat the grapeseed and olive oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture, then coat with the almond flour mixture. Fry the eggplant for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the slices to a paper towel-lined plate.

Pour 1 cup of the tomato sauce into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer the eggplant over the sauce, cover with another cup of the sauce, and top with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Layer the remaining eggplant on top, then cover with the remaining sauce and mozzarella.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot or warm. Serves 4 to 6.

For the Tomato Sauce:

14 ounces tomato paste

2 cups water

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thicker. Can be stored in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a tight lid for up to 4 days. You can also use this sauce for Chicken Parmesan (recipe to follow, once I’ve tested it).