This lasagna uses eggplant layers instead of noodles. If you enjoy eggplant, this is a delicious alternative to carb-rich noodles.
Ingredients:
I large eggplant, sliced into finger-width discs
Olive oil
400 g Sliced Mushrooms
2 jars of pasta sauce (my favourite is Flourentine Spinach and Cheese from Classico)
1 large onion, diced
500 g of Ricotta cheese (use light if desired)
1 500g brick of mozzarella cheese (use light if desired)
4-8 garlic cloves, minced
Parmesan cheese
Prepare the filling:
Eggplant:
You will need to saute or steam the eggplant to soften it. One idea is to use a large roasting pan, and add the eggplant in with a thin layer of water at the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly drizzle olive oil over, or brush on if you want more even spread. Cover and roast for approximately 30 minutes, shaking the eggplant a bit at 15 minutes to prevent burning Ensure a layer of water is always there; add water if necessary. The white meat of the eggplant should start to turn transparent. In the meanwhile, grate cheese and prepare mushrooms. Drain excess water when cooked, and set eggplant aside.
Mushrooms:
In a large skillet, add a small layer of water and heat on high. Add sliced mushrooms shortly after with about 2 Tbl spoons of oil drizzled over. Lower heat to medium, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Mushrooms will shrink and start to darken with a shiny texture. Remove from heat when finished, drain, and set aside.
Preparing the dish:
Lower oven heat to 350 F. Mix minced garlic, diced onion and Parmesan cheese into the pasta sauce. In a large plan (I had to use a ginormous roasting pan because I used a giant eggplant), pour a small layer of sauce. Then layer one layer of eggplant discs. Place a dollop of ricotta over each disc, and spread thin with a spoon. Add mushroom layer, and repeat layering method with pasta sauce. You can make 2-3 layers. Finally, finish with a spread of sauce and top it with mozzarella, and optional sprinkles of Parmesan.
Cook for 45 minutes- 85 minutes, gauging readiness according to cheese browning at the top.
Before slicing, let cool for about 15 minutes uncovered.
Makes approx. 8 servings.