Eggplant Lasagna
- 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
- salt and ground black pepper
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 to 3 large eggplants (depending on size), peeled and cut into long lengthwise slices
- 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the eggplant strips on a baking sheet, coat with a little extra virgin olive oil and roast for 15 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, egg yolk, Parmigiano Reggiano, some salt and pepper.
- Ladle about ¼ of the sauce into the bottom of a large lasagna pan.
- Lay down enough eggplant slices to cover the bottom in a single layer.
- Top with about ¼ of the ricotta mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, top with a bit more sauce and repeat with another layer of eggplant.
- Continue assembling the lasagna in that order until you've used up all the fillings, ending with tomato sauce on top.
- Sprinkle more shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan Reggiano over the top of the dish and cover with foil.
- Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes with the foil on, then remove it and continue baking for another 15 minutes until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is browned.
- Let sit for 10 minutes then serve.
We used a mandolin to cut the strips of eggplant. We thought the strips were thin enough, and skipped the roasting step, but I highly recommend you do that. It is great trick to pull excess water away from the eggplant, so that you don't have a soupy mess during the baking phase. It also helps to impart extra roasted flavor into your lasagna. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this cheesy eggplant lasagna and didn't miss the noodles one bit! A great alternative for days when you want less carbs or for those with pasta allergies.
