A HEALTHIER TWIST!
what a wonderful way to add a crisp to the eggplant! Would never have guessed that quinoa would work as a crust, so thank you and for the recipe!
~ Sabrina
– Preheat the oven with a rack placed in the center of the oven. – In a large bowl, soak the sliced eggplant in salted water. It helps to put a bowl on top of the eggplant slices to keep them submerged under water.
– Meanwhile, place the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook. Cover and let the quinoa sit. The water should be full absorbed.
– Stir in the garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in the parmesan cheese and place in a shallow bowl. – Rinse the salted eggplant under cool running water and dry the slices wtih paper towels.
– Dredge a slice of eggplant in flour, then dip into the egg, followed by the quinoa, patting the quinoa to help it adhere to the eggplant surface. – Pour enough marinara sauce to cover the bottom of a baking dish.
– Heat the olive oil in a skillet, and test the oil by dropping it a few pieces of quinoa. Place the crisp eggplant on the marinara sauce in the baking dish, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, then place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each round.
– Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil and additional parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Hi, I’m Liren. I am a mother of two and wife to one, currently based in the SF Bay Area, land of fresh foods and sublime wine...