Savory Eggplant and Sausage Pie with Toasted Millet Crust

Ingredients

1 cup Organic Millet
2 Tbsp Organic Millet Flour
4 Tbsp Butter (unsalted)
1 tsp freshly ground Nutmeg
1 tsp and ½ cup Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 ½ cup Diced Onion
2 medium sized Jalapenos (seeded and diced)
6 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar or Gouda
½ lb ground Sausage
¼ cup Chopped Parsley
1 medium sized Fancy Eggplant
5 cups distilled cold water
½ dozen Eggs
1/3 cup Crème Fraiche

The Crust

1. Set oven to 365 degrees.
2. In medium saucepan, add millet and place on lowest heat possible. Add 1 tsp salt and begin to toast.
3. The toasting process should last up to at least 45 minutes with continuous stirring involved in order to toast all grains evenly. Once the grains have attained a golden toasted color, add 2 cups of water.
4. Water may bubble and blast…be careful. Stir a little more and cover ass you would rice and allow to simmer for an additional 20 minutes until all the water has absorbed and the millet is slightly fluffy…but still grainy.
5. Set aside and allow to cool for later.

The filling

1. Add ½ cup of salt to remaining 3 cups of water in a large bowl. Mix with whisk until salt is absorbed. Peel and slice Eggplant into ½ inch medallions. As you slice them, place them immediately into water and make sure they are fully submersed. Once you have sliced and submersed them all, cover with a plate to make sure they remain in the salted water. Set aside for 45 minutes.
2. In the meantime, cook the sausage in a frying pan until fully cooked and drain off all the fat. Use a paper towel to press out the fat if necessary. Set aside.
3. Sauté the onions on a low heat in 2 tbsp of olive oil. You want to sauté the onions for at least 40 minutes to allow them to become very sweet. Don’t burn or brown them. Once they become translucent, add your jalapeno and sauté for an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove your eggplant from water and pres between dry towels in order to absorb all the water. Place on baking sheet, baste with olive oil on both sides and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once they have cooled, you can chop them up into small ½ inch cubes.

Back to the Crust

1. Combine your cooked millet, millet flour, butter, nutmeg and black pepper into a food processor. Mill as you would create a pie crust, pulsing and allowing for some of the grains to remain whole, but for all ingredients to blend equally.
2. Remove and mold into your favorite pie mold. Line with parchment paper and dry beans and bake for 12 minutes…then cool.

To Complete

1. Into your par‐baked crust, layer first your grated cheese, then your onion mixture and chopped parsley.
2. Add eggplant and sausage last. With a whisk, mix the egg and crème fraiche until smooth. Pour into pie form and bake for at least 35‐40 minutes. Be careful not to brown egg.