Stacked Eggplant -Gluten Free-

          This recipe was inspired by my parents and lack of food in the fridge.  This is a version of a gluten free, lasagna-like dish that my parents would make though, their version normally has added vegetables such as various zucchinis and tomatoes, and also uses ricotta cheese rather than fresh mozzarella.  But, as a college student, this is what I had in my fridge:

• 1 Eggplant
• Fresh Mozzarella 
• Canned Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Balsamic Glaze
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

          I first washed the eggplant and sliced it so they were circular pieces.  I heated up a sauté pan with olive oil--enough to coat the bottom of the pan--a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper (This can also be done by using a glass dish and put in the oven at 350 degrees F if you are making for multiple people and need more eggplant cooked at once, or grilling them is my favorite but it is currently snowing outside so that is out of the question).  I placed the eggplant in (4 slices) and went to thinly slice the fresh mozzarella cheese.

         After a few minutes (3-4) I flipped the eggplant and then went to heat up the sauce.  You can heat up a the sauce over the stove in a pot on low heat, stirring occasionally, this is to prevent air pockets from forming and explosions of sauce when they reach the surface.  Because I was only making one serving so I put some in a microwavable bowl and heated it that way.  (If you are making the dish for multiple people, you might want to do this step at at the same time as heating up the sauté pan in order to ensure the sauce be warm enough when the eggplant is finished).

         I then took out a plate, and placed one of the eggplant slices on it, laid some fresh mozzarella on it, then another slice of fresh mozzarella, and so on until I used the 4 slices.  I then drizzled some balsamic glaze over the top, topped it with the hot sauce and some grated parmesan cheese.  The heat of the eggplant and sauce should melt the cheese, but if it doesn't, you can always throw the dish in the microwave for a minute or two. I didn't, but it would go great topped with some fresh basil.

         I hope you enjoyed this recipe, it is super quick and very delicious!  A healthy tip: the less cheese you use, the less saturated fat you end up consuming, so thinly slicing is key. If you have any questions or suggestions, please, leave a note in the comments, I want to hear from you!   :)