RECIPE: Savory ingredients make for sweet baking

Want to spice up your baking? Look to the innovative recipes in Erin Jeanne McDowell’s new cookbook, “Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between” (Harvest, $40).

Most of the recipes can be adjusted to your preferences, pantry stock, and even your leftovers. I like the following recipe for an eggplant-tomato pie because the crust is naturally gluten-free. I love the recipe because you can extrapolate the same technique to make a crust from quinoa, bulgur or orzo.

I swapped out several ingredients for those I had on hand and still made the most delicious dish. It works as a hearty side or a vegetarian entree that becomes vegan with a simple egg substitution. It’s the kind of recipe — and cookbook — that makes baking fun for everyone.