Eggplant Parmesan Hand Pies {gluten-free}

The flavors of eggplant parmesan – roasted eggplant, tomato, basil, mozzarella and parmesan – come together in a flaky gluten-free pie crust for portable deliciousness.

*Many thanks to Cog Works for sponsoring The Bojon Gourmet this month! This New Hampshire-based brand makes beautiful wooden serve boards and other fineries. I’ve got my eye on the black walnut…*


Today’s post is extra special because it features not 1 but 3 recipes, made by not 1 but 3 bloggers!

(Also, it features orange cats.)

Betty of Le Jus D’Orange was in town last week, so we convened at Sarah’s house, rolled up our sleeves, and baked up a trio of buttery sweet and savory pies filled with summer’s finest to share with you today. Following a trip to the Monterey Market, we spread out in Sarah’s kitchen and covered every surface with flour, butter, and produce and set to work.

Betty combined sweet corn, bacon, scallions and miso into an umami bomb all wrapped up in a buttery wheat dough.

Sarah tucked caramelized peaches kissed with rosemary with white chocolate mascarpone in a tender gluten-free crust.


And I satisfied my eggplant parmesan craving, folding the usual suspects as well as some briny black olives into my favorite gluten-free pie dough. This dough is full of whole grain flours, free of gums, and gets its pliable texture from ground chia seed. It bakes up super flavorful and flakey.



I’ve been fan-girling Betty since I discovered her breathtaking recipes and photography earlier this year, and getting to bake and shoot (and eat!) with her and Sarah was sheer bliss. She creates delicious things like lychee and peach ice cream, matcha mint panna cotta, and taro milk tea rolls. She makes kimchi and kombucha from scratch. She makes stop-motion videos and teaches food styling and photography workshops. Oh, and she’s planning to go to med school next year. NBD.


We contemplated kidnapping Betty…but instead, sat down to a picnic of buttery goodness. (And a big green salad topped with strawberries, pepitas and herbed goat cheese. Because we’re healthy.)

Head over to Sarah and Betty’s blogs to get the recipes for Miso Corn and Bacon Hand Pies and Rosemary Peach Hand Pies with White Chocolate Mascarpone.

All images were shot in collaboration with Sarah and Betty.

Thanks for reading! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Twitter, subscribe to receive new posts via email, make a donation, or become a sponsor.

Eggplant, previously:

Curried Roasted Eggplant with Smoked Cardamom and Coconut Milk
Roasted Eggplant Tomato Tart
Roasted Tiny Eggplant with Muhammara and Feta

Eggplant Parmesan Hand Pies

If gluten isn’t an issue for you or your guests, feel free to make these with your favorite wheaty crust (this is mine). I would stay away from fresh mozzarella here as it will probably make the crust soggy; stick with the dry stuff instead.

Makes 6 hand pies

1 recipe gluten-free pie dough(enough for one 9″ single crust)
oat flour, for rolling the dough

1 1/4 pounds (500 g) eggplant
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
8 ounces (225 g) dry mozzarella, sliced
1 cup (4 ounces / 110 g) cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved
2 ounces (60 g) parmesan, shaved
2 ounces (60 g) pitted olives such as picholine or kalamata, halved (1/3 cup)
a few handfuls basil leaves
1 egg, any size
cracked black pepper

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF.

If the eggplant is the long and slender variety, trim it and slice into generous 1/2-inch thick rounds. For the globe varieties, cut the eggplant into 1- or 2-inch chunks. Place the eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and salt, tossing to coat. Spread the eggplant slices in a single layer and roast in the oven until golden and very tender, 40-50 minutes, flipping the slices about 30 minutes into the baking time. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Increase the oven temperature to 400ºF.

Meanwhile, divide the chilled pie dough into 6 portions; work with 1 portion at a time and keep the rest chilled. On a surface dusted lightly with oat flour, roll out each portion into a round that is roughly 1/8″ thick. Trim each portion into a smooth, even round, and stack them on a plate. Cover and chill until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Lay the dough rounds on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment for easy clean-up. Have the ingredients prepared and standing by.

Place a couple of mozzarella slices on a dough round. Top with some parmesan shavings, roasted eggplant slices, cherry tomatoes, olives, basil leaves, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Fold up the edges of the dough to make a crust, leaving a couple of inches open in the center. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds; you may not need all of the filling ingredients. (If you have extras, they are perfect piled on toast or tossed into pasta.) If the dough has softened, chill the pies again until firm, 30 more minutes.

Beat the egg in a small bowl until lightened in color and foamy. Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the dough, then sprinkle with a bit of cracked black pepper.

Bake the pies at 400ºF until the crusts are golden and crisp, 25-35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Top with some fresh basil leaves and serve warm or at room temperature.

Extra pies keep well refrigerated airtight for up to 2 days and can be reheated in a 350ºF oven or in a skillet set over a low flame.

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57 thoughts on “Eggplant Parmesan Hand Pies {gluten-free}”

  2. I just stumbled upon your blog, and I LOVE the detail in the recipes, creative styling, and variety you have! Also, I have incessant eggplant cravings. Mmmmmm :)

    Reply

  7. I'm in love with the flavor combos here! Olives with the eggplant, cheese and tomatoes? <3 So much love. I'm also intrigued by this crust with chia seed you speak of. Heading over to check that out!

    Reply

  8. Wow this is a serious recipe! What a cool collaboration. I'm such a huge fan of eggplant and this is such a perfect way to use them in summer (this and maybe mezzes). I love this post!

    Reply

  20. I'm gushing over here, Alanna! All the pies, yes! But it's the eggplant with the briny olives and tomatoes callin my name… and the cat, yes….. Artichoke, I want to reach out and pet that silky fur. And what can that Betty not do? Med school? My goodness! What a fabulous post full of delicious hand pies and fun memories! Thank you for this my dear!

    Reply

  21. This is making me wish I had spent a little more time in SF so we could do something fun like this. Or you'll have to come visit me. Love this combo of flavors, and the GIF. You'll have to teach me how to do that. I am still working on it. As usual, pinning to multiple boards because I can't decide which image I like best.

    Reply

    1. Girl, you and me both! I've always dreamed of visiting Vermont so hopefully we can make that happen for reals. Sarah and Betty are responsible for the GIF – workshop?! Thanks so much for the kind note and the shares. <3

      Reply

  22. Hand pies galore, oh my! You had me at hand pies because I'm a fan of anything that you can hold and cradle in your hand before lovingly taking a bite out of it. A pie get-together sounds so delicious and fun! I recently discovered Betty's blog and the fact that she is going to med school next year while making her own kombucha and kimchi makes me think she *must* be superwoman!

    Reply

  24. Looks like the three of you had so much fun making pies! They look absolutely scrumptious! Oh, and I am so buying a few items on Cog Works. They're serving boards look so good.

    P.S. Artichoke steels my heart. Always.

    Reply

    1. Aw, cool!! Their boards are so reasonably priced, too! I ordered a few as well and can't wait for them to arrive. :) (I had to break it to Jay that Arti is cuter than Catamus…) Thanks lady! Hope to see you soon!

      Reply

  25. Totally gorgeous! I'm glad you didn't steal Betty (for selfish reasons! Ha!) but I am so happy you all had the opportunity to work together – so much fun! You guys make beautiful food – and all managed to make a summer time handpies – not always an easy task! SO yummy! xx

    Reply

  26. Oh goodness. I want to be in on this hand pie gathering! Why don't we live in the same city, and when are you moving to Portland again? :)

    I'm brand-new to gluten-free baking (not gf myself, but, you know) and I've never heard of the ground chia seed technique! I could see how that would make a dough beautiful and elastic. Next time, I'm trying it. Gorgeous work as always, my friend!

    Reply

    1. I'm moving into your house tomorrow and I trust you'll have a batch of lemon curd donuts awaiting my arrival.

      ;)

      The chia definitely helps! I think I got the idea from Canelle e Vanille. I can't wait to see what luscious thing you make next!

      Reply

  29. Hi Alana!!

    I just wanted to say that your blog is gorgeous! Love the photography and the light in your photos.

    I'd love to include your Eggplant Parmesan Hand Pies in a hand pie recipe roundup that I'm preparing for Parade Magazine (to be published in Sept).

    If you're fine with it, could I use one of your photos with a linkback to your original post (https://www.bojongourmet.com/2015/07/eggplant-parmesan-hand-pies-gluten-free.html)?

    Let me know your thoughts & thanks so much in advance!

    Cheers,
    Felicia

    Reply

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