Like a lot of people, I have modified my diet here and there. When I did Paleo a while back, I found myself craving comfort food and began to search for alternatives. Some of the recipes worked well under modification, many did not. This one, from the site, Wellness Mama, was so good that even when I am on a more common diet, I still crave it and make it. My mom eats gluten-free, and I know many people on low-carb diets. This is a great dish to bring to a potluck that helps accommodate a wide variety of dietary needs. You can serve with the pasta or pasta substitute of your choice.
Ingredients: eggplant, coconut or almond flour, arrowroot or similar flour, salt, oil, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic, basil, pepper, eggs, heavy cream, pasta sauce
Step 1: About an hour before preparing, peel eggplant and slice into ¼ to ½ inch slices.
Place eggplant in strainer and sprinkle heavily with salt.
Let sit for 45 mins to 1 hour. This sweats the eggplant and makes it much less bitter.
After about an hour, rinse well with water and pat dry. I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. We didn't eat a lot of eggplant growing up, and I never could figure out how to make it tasted good. This step makes ALL of the difference in how it cooks and tastes.
Step 2: Put oil of your choice in a large skillet and turn on medium heat. Wellness Mama uses lard, tallow, or coconut oil. I like grapeseed oil. Step 3: Preheat oven to 350°F. Step 4: Mix coconut flour, arrowroot, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, garlic, and spices in large bowl or on a large plate. Once, when I made this dish, I had different grain-free flours on hand, so I used those. I used almond flour in place of the coconut and tapioca flour instead of the arrowroot. I loved the richness of the almond flour and adored working with tapioca flour, so I have since made it with those flours. You can try any combination that works for you and your pantry!
Step 5: In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with heavy cream, if using. Step 6: Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then in coconut flour mixture, and place in hot oil in skillet. Cook approximately 4 minutes per side until browned. Step 7: As eggplant finishes, place in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour pasta sauce over the eggplant and then top with Parmesan and mozzarella, if desired. Step 8: Place in oven until cheese is melted and sauce is heated.
Grain-Free Eggplant Parmesan
Recipe:
2-3 medium sized eggplants
salt
1-2 cups tallow lard, coconut oil, or other frying oil of your choice
½ cup coconut flour or almond flour
1/3 cup arrowroot powder or more coconut flour or tapioca flour
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese + more to top (optional)
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
3-4 eggs
1 TBSP heavy cream (optional)
24 ounces pasta sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese (optional)
About an hour before preparing, peel eggplant and slice into ¼ to ½ inch slices. Place eggplant in strainer and sprinkle heavily with salt. Let sit for 45 mins to 1 hour. This sweats the eggplant and makes it much less bitter. After about an hour, rinse well with water and pat dry. Put lard, tallow, or coconut oil in a large skillet and turn on medium heat. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix coconut flour, arrowroot, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, garlic, and spices in large bowl or on a large plate. In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with heavy cream, if using. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then in coconut flour mixture, and place in hot oil in skillet. Cook approximately 4 minutes per side until browned. As eggplant finishes, place in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour pasta sauce over the eggplant and then top with Parmesan and mozzarella, if desired. Place in oven until cheese is melted and sauce is heated.
Source: Wellness Mama https://wellnessmama.com/2809/eggplant-parmesan
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