Ingredients
SERVES 4
EGGPLANT
CASHEW CHEESE
MARINARA SAUCE
TO SERVE
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Slice the eggplants into 1cm-thick slices then toss with salt. Drain in a colander for about 30–45 minutes. Next, rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a bowl, combine the gluten-free breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and salt. Place the olive oil in a separate small bowl.
- Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides (they don’t need to be fully coated, just a light brush is fine). Then dip the slices into the breadcrumbs, so they are slightly covered.
- Place the breadcrumbed eggplant slices onto a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft and the breadcrumbs have browned slightly. Set aside.
- To make the cashew cheese, make sure the cashews have been soaked in hot water for 1 hour or in cold water overnight. Place all ingredients for the cashew cheese into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Next, transfer the cashew cheese into a small saucepan and heat over low-medium heat, stirring continuously. After 3–4 minutes it should have thickened. Once it’s creamy and thick, set aside.
- To make the marinara, heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic then cook until soft, about 3–4 minutes. Add the oregano and Italian herbs and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes, stock, and water and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, salt, and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.
- To assemble, add 1 cup of marinara sauce into a baking dish and spread out evenly. Next, place a layer of the breaded eggplant in the dish and cover with 1 cup of marinara then 3–4 tbsp of cashew cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients, being sure to finish with marinara sauce topped with cashew cheese.
- Bake the eggplant parmigiana for 28–30 minutes. Serve with vegan parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
