(Kinda Like) How Mom Makes It [Gluten Free Eggplant Parm]

There are a few dishes that you'll never be able to make as good as mom. Just accept it and move on. Like I have. Le sigh. For me it's eggplant parmigiana. Damn. It's so good. No, not just good—mind-blowingly good. I think it'd be my last meal on earth.

I can eat an entire tray in one sitting...if given the opportunity. Comforting, warm, savory, cheesy deliciousness. Mmmm. We all have our vices and, well, this is mine.

My mom takes the time to individually batter and bread each delicate slice of eggplant. Because that's the kind of lady she is. She puts her heart and soul into her eggplant parm! A luxurious egg bath followed by a light coating of savory, flavorful Italian breadcrumbs. These aren't the fancy homemade kind of bread crumbs. They're the generic-from-a-canister type...and they are pretty close to perfect. Oh and no homemade, simmered-for hours-sauce in this dish. It's store bought all the way. Salty, chunky and always consistent. I'm convinced it makes the dish the triumph it is. And finally the cheese: occasionally fresh mozzarella, but I got to say—good ol' Poly-o with its perfect meltyness never fails. It's not that she couldn't make her own breadcrumbs. Or make her own sauce. But when it comes to eggplant parm, she knows all the secrets. And this trifecta is it. So when I recently found myself harboring half a dozen large eggplants, parmigiana was the only thing to cross my mind. But alas a problem arose: gluten free breadcrumbs just don't cut it. Fate was no longer on my side. So I went where no family parmigiana has gone before: sans breadcrumbs and made with grilled (not fried) eggplant. If you're baffling at this, believe me—so was I. But I did it. The verdict? It will never be as good as mom's. But I'll take a close second. It's also much simpler to make. And less fattening. But let's be honest, if you're making eggplant parm in the first place, this probably isn't top of mind. None-the-less, bon appetit.

you'll need...

2 large eggplants

1 jar of store bought tomato sauce (if you're an overachiever you can make your own...I won't judge)

1 large bag/package of grated Mozzarella cheese (or a brick of cheese, sliced into small cubes)

oh, and a panini press (or grill pan)

to make...

Slice eggplants into rounds, about 1/2 inch thick. Preheat the panini press or grill pan while you do so. Once hot, grill eggplant in a single row until soft and tender. It's important that it soften but not get too mushy. I tried with and without brushing the eggplant rounds with olive oil but ultimately found I didn't need it. If you need to brush with a little so it doesn't stick to the pan, go right ahead.

Once all of your slices are grilled, it's time to layer. Start by adding 3-4 tablespoons of sauce to a baking dish. Layer the eggplant so it covers the bottom surface of the dish. Try to cover as much of the dish as possible but don't overlap. Ladle a few tablespoon of sauce on top of the eggplant and sprinkle with a moderate layer of cheese (more or less depending on preference). Repeat with another layer of eggplant, and follow with sauce and cheese. Repeat once more. I recommend three layers of eggplant. You can do four, but if you plan on freezing or reheating, it will take longer to warm up. I froze this particular eggplant parm for about a month prior to baking it. Just make sure you use an air-tight lid. I wouldn't go longer than a month though, as freezer burn may start to form. Also, try to use full-fat mozzarella cheese. I don't know how low-fat will freeze, but my guess is not as well.

Bake at 350 until heated all the way through and cheese has started to bubble, about 35-35 mins (Estimate—watch it after 30 mins. Reference top photo for desired golden hue.) If frozen, you'll need about an hour and 15 mins to bake and don't place it inside the oven until it's been pre-heated.

#Eggplant #parm #parmigiana #makeahead #freezerworthy #glutenfree #vegetarian