Eggplant Lasagna

This is a great recipe for the vegetarian in your life. Or for making lasagna just a little bit healthier.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (leave peel on!)
Olive Oil
Ground black pepper (fresh if possible)
1 32-oz package of mushrooms sliced at about 1/2 inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1/2 cup grated Romano, divided
1 cup shredded mozarella, divided
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 jar Barilla Spicy Marinara or similar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 oiled sheet pans. Brush on top with olive oil and grind pepper over. Bake slices 15 minutes, then turn gently. Brush tops with olive oil and grind pepper over again. Bake additional 10 minutes or until a fork poked into the thickest part of any of the slices slides in easily. Drop oven temperature to 350.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute over medium high heat about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Mushrooms should be soft. Once the mushrooms are cooked remove and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/4 cup romano, 1/2 cup mozarella, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.

Spread 1/3 of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay eggplant slices to cover the marinara without overlapping and smooth over with ricotta mixture. Spread another 1/3 of the marinara on top of the ricotta mixture, then another layer of eggplant and ricotta. Top with last of eggplant, then marinara, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.

If you'd like, you can freeze the casserole before baking. It will keep in the freezer for a few months, then you just bake it for about 10 minutes longer to ensure the middle is cooked through.

I have also noted in making this recipe that you CANNOT put anything else in the oven while this is cooking or it won't get done. Not being a scientist, I couldn't tell you why, but I know it does happen.

Also make sure your eggplant gets done in the first step, or it won't taste right no matter how long you cook it in the last step.

Tips for picking your eggplant

When you go to the grocery store, make sure to pick an eggplant with as close to unblemished skin as you can find. The skin should be the same deep purple all over and the greenery at the head of the plant should look relatively fresh. It should feel heavy, make a hollow "pock" noise if you flick it with your fingernail, and should not be overly soft.

Quite a while back I heard that you should pick "innie" eggplants rather than "outies". I don't know what the wisdom of that was meant to be, but it has served me well. When you're picking your eggplant, check the bottom to see whether the little brown spot (where the flower was) is pushing out or tucked in. Go for the tucked in.