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Eggplant Parmesan
Vegan Planet, Robin Robertson, tweaked by Eve
This is so good, it will be my next company dish! It has a wonderful blend of textures and flavors, especially if made with fresh tomatoes and herbs.
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
15 ml1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
one 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes or about 1 & 1/2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 or 3 cups vegan burger crumbles or 3-4 frozen veggie burgers, thawed and chopped
30 ml2 T. or more minced fresh parsley
15 ml1 T. minced fresh basil or 1 & 1/2 tsp. dried (I used a little pesto)
5 ml1 tsp. minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp. dried (I had lots of fresh leaves and was more generous)
2 ml1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
59 ml1/4 c. vegan parmesan (I used Walnut Parm and a sprinkle of Daiya Mozzarella Style Cheese)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the eggplant on a lightly oiled baking sheet until tender, 12 to 15 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven and set aside. Leave the oven on.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, burger crumbles, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
Spoon a layer of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 2 & 1/2 qt. baking dish. Top with a layer of eggplant slices and sprinkle with a small amount of the cheese. Continue layering until all of the eggplant slices are used. Finish with a layer of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
I was lucky to have heirloom tomatoes and all the fresh herbs in my garden. I didn't measure the herbs and put in quite a bit. I suspect high quality tomatoes and herbs are the key to this dish. I also used 4 burgers (the original recipe called for 3) and they added more spices along with body and texture. My family really loved this dish!