This is an original recipe from The Net Gourmet with follow along images.
Many times with lasagna recipes that feature eggplant instead of pasta they also omit the meat. What we have here is a traditional lasagna with meat and cheese, but we substitute the eggplant for the pasta.
We use ready made meatballs for the meat layer. Our local market has a deli where we get fresh meatballs, but you can make your own or cook up your own meat with the same seasonings you would use in meatballs. We have several meatball recipes here on The Net Gourmet.
Click on images to see them full sized.
Ingredients:
For the Eggplant
- 1 Very large eggplant or 2 small to medium peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces. For a 9 X 12 pan, you will need approximately 45 slices (15 per layer)
- 2 Cups Italian flavored bread crumbs
- 1 Cups Egg Beaters or 4 beaten eggs
- 1 Cups all purpose flour
- Vegetable spray
For the Cheese Filling
- 1 32oz Container of Ricotta Cheese
- 1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/4 Cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
For the Meat
- 8 Medium sized Italian meatballs sliced about 1/2 Inch thick. About 1½ pounds of meat.
- 3 Cups of your favorite red sauce
- 2 Cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Cook the eggplant first.
Preheat oven to 375º F. Peel and slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch pieces.
Put the flour into a zip lock bag and in two shallow bowls, put the beaten eggs in one and bread crumbs in the other.
Add the eggplant to the bag of flour (it all won’t fit at once, you will need to do it in 2 or 3 batches) and shake until all are covered. Take one out at a time and dip in the egg then press into the bread crumbs. Place onto a cookie sheet you have sprayed with vegetable spray. You may need up to 3 cookie sheets for all the eggplant. Spray the top of each piece of eggplant with a little vegetable spray. Cook in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until browned lightly.
Mix the Cheese.
Add all the ingredients for the cheese mixture to a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a rubber spatula and set aside.
Assembly.
Spray a 9″ X 12″ casserole dish with vegetable spray. Ladle in about a cup of your favorite red sauce. You just need to cover the bottom.
Separate the cooked eggplant into three equal batches. Lay out one of them on top of the sauce to make the bottom layer.
Over that, arrange the sliced meatballs to make the meat layer. Continue with the next layer of eggplant. Then, scoop on the cheese mixture and spread it evenly over the eggplant. Top with the final layer of eggplant.
Cover with foil and bake for one hour.
Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese. Return to oven for 15 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
Let stand at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Will serve 10-12. Cooked lasagna can be frozen and warmed at a later date. Wrap in plastic, then foil. When re-heating, remove plastic and foil. Warm in a little sauce, covered in a 325º oven.
