Pre-roasting traditional ratatouille veggies gives rich flavor to this casserole, which can double as a main course.
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant (¾ pound), sliced 1⁄3 -inch thick lengthways
- 2 medium zucchini (½ pound), sliced ¼-inch thick lengthways
- 1 yellow onion (6 ounces), cut into thin wedges through the root end so they stay together
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing, etc.
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
- 1 or 2 plump garlic cloves, minced
- 5 Roma tomatoes (1 pound), cut in ½-inch dice
- 1 roasted and peeled red bell pepper (6 ounces), cut in ½-inch wide strips
- ¼ cup chopped basil, cut just before using
- 3 ounces grated Italian-style four-cheese blend
- ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs made from 1 slice of soft gluten-free sandwich bread, mixed with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat the oven to 425°F. Have ready two large baking sheets.
Lay the eggplant on one baking sheet and the zucchini and onion on the other. Spray or brush the vegetables with oil and sprinkle with the sugar to aid browning. Turn them over and spray with more oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Don’t turn off the oven.
Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, 2 minutes.
Oil an 11 x 8 baking dish. Spread with half the eggplant and the bell pepper. Top with half the tomato sauce, the basil, zucchini, half the cheese blend and the onion. Cover with the remaining eggplant, cheese blend and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture and spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake until bubbling and crisp on top, about 25 minutes. Let cool a little before serving.
Nutritional Analysis:
Calories: 150, Carbohydrates: 15 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 160 mg, Fiber: 4 g
Gluten-Free Living Food Editor Jackie Mallorca has more than a dozen cookbooks to her credit. Her latest titles include The Wheat-Free Cook: Gluten-Free Recipes for Everyone and Gluten-Free Italian. For more information and recipes, visit her website at GlutenFreeExpert.com.
