I recently read a post on Instagram from someone who baked eggplant without oil and of course I had to try it because roasted eggplant is usually so greasy and mushy. These little beauties come out crispy and are great plain but they are also fabulous stacked with tomato sauce and pesto!
The key is to salt the eggplant, much like salting zucchini, to get the natural water out. I find this works best on a cooling rack set over a baking tray. I am sure you can do this on paper towels, so don’t sweat it (haha!) if you don’t have a cooling rack. Although you should get one because it is great for baking.
Baked Eggplant
1 eggplant
Salt, as needed
1 chickpea flour egg (1 chickpea flour egg = 1 tablespoon chickpea flour + 3 tablespoons water)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (homemade is best)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (nooch)
Cut the eggplant into rounds. Set a cooling rack on a baking tray. Sprinkle the tops of eggplant rounds with salt. Turn them over and sprinkle the other side. Let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Pat them dry with paper towels.
Set up a breading station. Whisk the chickpea egg in a shallow bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs and nooch.
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil.
Dredge the eggplant rounds in the chickpea flour and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Coat all around. Gently place on the baking sheet. When they are all coated, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
Eat as is right out of the oven or stack with tomato sauce and/or pesto. You can also reheat leftover rounds and then make the stacks, which is what I did in the picture below. Either way, enjoy!
