Mexican Eggplant Parmesan with Gluten-Free Tortilla Crust

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Arrange the eggplant on a baking sheet and season both sides lightly with salt. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep the tortilla chips. Arrange the crumbs in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, beat the eggs with water (for vegan option, see note).

Pat the eggplant dry with a dish towel and transfer to a plate or clean work surface.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. One at a time, dip each eggplant round into the egg wash, followed by the tortilla chip crumbs. Pat each side down gently so the crumbs adhere, and shake off the excess. Arranged breaded eggplant in an even layer on both baking sheets.

Roast in the oven for 25–30 minutes, swapping the pans from top to bottom rack halfway through, until the coating is crispy and the eggplant is fork-tender.

While the eggplant bakes, make the sauce. In medium saucepan, combine tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have released their juices and the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

When the eggplant is done roasting, assemble the parm stacks. Roughly survey the scene and scope out pairs of eggplant rounds that are roughly the same size. Beginning with the slightly larger of the two, add a spoonful of sauce, followed by a modest sprinkle of cheese. Top with the second round and repeat with the sauce and cheese. You should have about 14 stacks total.

Return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Garnish with cilantro leaves (if using) and serve hot.

Notes:
1. For a vegan option, omit the cheese and use a flax egg to coat the eggplant slices instead of an egg wash. Simply combine 3 tablespoons flaxmeal with 1/3 cup of water and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. You can speed up this recipe by skipping the step of salting the eggplant. Just note that this helps draw out the bitterness.