Lasagna’s poor little cousin rarely gets press in mainstream society. But it has one huge benefit over lasagna…. It can be made with all-natural ingredients very easily. Techinically, due to my inclusion of meat, my version isn’t eggplant parmesan. The pork adds a great taste bud twist to the usual recipe, as well as some much needed protein! It can easily be made meat-free and is equally delicious, for those in the vegetarian camp. Give this grain free version a try and see what you think. I would bet even Garfield will approve.
Ingredients
2 Eggplants
1 container of parmesan cheese
16 oz high quality marinara sauce
1 pound ground pork or nitrate-free sausage
2 cups almond meal
4 eggs- beaten
½ cup fresh basil
kosher salt
black pepper- freshly ground
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage
1 clove garlic- minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut eggplants lengthwise into slices roughly 1/8 inch thick. Place in colander and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Let sit in sink for 30 minutes to sweat excess moisture out of slices. While slices are sweating, crumble and cook ground pork in skillet with 2 tsp black pepper and the minced garlic. Combine almond meal, oregano, sage, and 2 tsp kosher salt and blend together and place on plate. Beat eggs and place in separate container. Heat skillet with olive oil to medium heat. Begin dipping slices of eggplant in egg wash, dredging in flour mixture, and frying in olive oil on both sides until light brown. Once finished, begin layering mixture into 9 x 11 baking dish. Place a layer of eggplant on bottom, followed by a layer of marinara, then a layer of pork, a dusting of cheese and fresh basil. Repeat until complete, topping with a layer of cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and top is lightly brown (around 30 minutes.) Wait 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.
