Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan

Sue's Gluten Free
Eggplant Parmesan 

My mom LOVES Eggplant, especially Eggplant Parmesan.  Yesterday, I made it for dinner, using gluten free Italian breadcrumbs.  You can make your own bread crumbs or use one like Gillian's Italian Breadcrumbs.  Gillian's is a company that is out of my hometown; it's easy for me to purchase in regular supermarkets.

To make your own, toast gluten free bread, like Udi brand gluten free bread; toast the bread and then putting it into a food processor to chop into crumbs.  Add Italian seasonings like oregano, basil, thyme and garlic powder once the bread is crumbed and add Italian seasonings.

Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan

1 - 2 large eggplant fruit
1 - 2 eggs (beaten)
Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil

Slice the eggplant into long slices that are about 1/2 inch thickness.  Layer the eggplant on a large dish and salt  each layer with sea salt.  Cover the stack of salted eggplant with plastic wrap; this takes the bitterness out of the eggplant.  Leave it covered on the counter for a couple of hours or you can put it in the fridge and let it sit covered over night.

Heat the Olive Oil to medium high in a large skillet.  I use a cast iron pan because I like how it browns the eggplant slices and I don't have to worry about non-stick coatings flaking off into my food.

You'll notice the eggplant sweating a brown liquid, this is bitter.  Rinse each slice with cool water before dipping it into the beaten egg.

Lightly cover each eggplant slice on both sides with Italian bread crumbs.

Place a few slices in the hot oil and brown on each side; about 3 - 5 minutes.  Cook 2 or 3 at a time, making sure not to crowd the pan.  Place the cooked slices on a brown paper bag that is covered with a paper towel.  This will drain the excess oil from the eggplant.

Add extra oil as needed so that the breadcrumbs don't burn.

While the eggplant slices are draining on the paper, make the sauce.

Quick Meatless Sauce for Eggplant Parmesan

3 Celery stalks chopped small
6 cloves of garlic chopped
2 large cans of diced tomatoes (or 2 quarts of home canned tomatoes.)
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
2 teaspoons of thyme Oregano
2 teaspoons of dried thyme

Cheese to add to the final casserole 

2 cups of Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese

Instructions for Making the Sauce

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a pressure cooker (this cooks the sauce fast) or you could use a large sauce pan.

Heat the oil to medium heat.

Add the garlic and the celery.  Stir and cook until the celery appears as a brighter green.  Add the dried hebs ( you can use fresh - 1 tablespoon of fresh) and the bay leaf.  Stir and cook a minute.

Add the tomatoes.

Pressure cook on medium high heat until the pressure cooker hisses.  Let it hiss for 10 minutes and then turn off the gas.  Allow the pressure cooker to reduce pressure naturally (or if you are in a hurry, you can run the pan under cold water in the kitchen sink.)

Instructions for putting the dish together

Put a layer of sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish.  Place eggplant slices over the sauce   Put a little sauce over the top of the eggplant layer.  Add a little of the grated mozzarella cheese over the sauce.  Repeat the layers until you have used all the eggplant.  Save a little sauce and cheese to top the dish - layer of sauce and finish it off with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes until the cheese is a light golden brown.

Cool for about 15 minutes