This pie is a great addition to your holiday table, or just for lunch on a Wednesday. It’s a single crust pie with an Italian vibe–the cookbook notes that teens might be fans, due to it’s pizza flavors. The original calls for ground beef and regular cheese, but we substituted vegan ingredients, to great success. We used a white whole wheat crust, which was especially tasty.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed eggplant, unpeeled
.25 cup margarine
.75 cup “Gimme Lean” hamburger flavor (TVP or lentils might be good here, too)
.5 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 TBSP chopped parsley
.25 cup chopped celery tops
1 tsp salt
.25 tsp oregano
solid shake of pepper
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
.5 cup shredded cheese (we used “Follow Your Heart” mozzarella

 

Directions

1. Melt the margarine in a deep skillet, and add the eggplant. Cover and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Then remove eggplant, set aside.
2. Saute the onion and garlic in the skillet, add the ground “beef” and brown. Add parsley, celery tops, seasonings and tomato sauce. Cook over medium for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the eggplant, turn off heat.
3. When the mixture is partially cool, spoon it into a single pie crust.
4. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with “cheese” bake until melted.