I first made a version of this recipe years ago when Jay and I were doing Weight Watchers. The breaded eggplant was used in a recipe for eggplant parmesan sandwiches and it healthier because it is baked and not fried. You can definitely use it for sandwiches but the recipe below has become a favorite of ours.
Breaded Eggplant Ingredients
1 Large Eggplant peeled and cut into ½” thick disks
2 Eggs lightly beaten
1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2tsp garlic salt
½ tbsp dried oregano
Olive Oil
Heat the oven to 400 and coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil. Mix 1 tsp each of garlic salt and oregano into the beaten eggs. In a separate bowl mix together breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and 1sp each garlic salt and oregano. Take each eggplant disk and coat each side with the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. While working with the eggplant place the baking sheet in the oven briefly to heat the oil. Place the fully coated eggplant disk on the heated pan in a single layer. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden, then flip. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden. Move eggplant to a plate and place aside.
Lasagna Ingredients
Prepared eggplant
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella
½ tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 roasted onion, diced
2 roasted green peppers, chopped
1 cup pasta sauce
Mix together the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the oregano, basil, salt and egg. Coat an 11x7 glass baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with the prepared eggplant in a single layer.
Continue to layer lasagna as follows:
½ of the Ricotta mixture, spread evenly, ½ of the roasted peppers and onions, ½ cup past sauce. Then repeat: Eggplant, remainder of Ricotta mixture, remainder of roast peppers and onions, reminder of pasta sauce. Finish by covering with the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Place in 400 degree oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and golden.
The resulting casserole is very filling and has the tastes you love in lasagna with a nice twist. Jay and I both love it and even go so far as fighting over the leftovers. I like that it heats up pretty well in the microwave at work and never ceases to make my co-workers jealous!
Mangia!
Margot
This looks amazing. I don't see too many others make eggplant lasagna. I don't bread mine when I make it but I'll bet it's a religious experience. I'm from NJ originally so I'm practically and honorary Italian so that means I know what I'm talkin' about. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. Cheers!
Wow! I am sad that I didn't make this last night. I love eggplant parm and lasagna. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteIt looks delicious. I have two eggplants sitting in my fridge hoping to become something as beautiful and yummy as that.
ReplyDeleteyummy pictures
ReplyDeleteSo here is an update. I took pitty on two of my co-workers today and brought some of this in for them as well. They really appreciated this on a nice fall day in NH. I was pretty popular.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the nice comments.
Kristen let me know if you make it and how it works out for you! Or if you have an eggplant recipe to share I would love to try something new myself.
Noun
ReplyDelete•S: (n) lasagna, lasagne (baked dish of layers of lasagna pasta with sauce and cheese and meat or vegetables) •S: (n) lasagna, lasagne (very wide flat strips of pasta)
Must be a "new wave" kind of lasagne without the strips of pasta. Properly, should have been called layered eggplant, without the pasta, cannot be called parmesan lasagna...lasagne! Looks beuatiful, vibrant with colors, and I'm sure, flavors.
In response to @Elisabeth.
ReplyDeleteAt Ancient Fire we don't espouse a philosophy of authenticity or "culinary correctness" with our creations. We feel food is an adventure, interpretive and personal. Strict or "classical" definitions seem to us like arbitrary limitations that might apply in other situations, but are optional when you are trying to have fun.
As an engineer I can appreciate the detailed and the specific, but I am increasingly trying to get time away from that mentality and enjoy what comes.
Thank you for your feedback and we do hope you will continue reading to see what interesting things we come up with in the future.
Jason
Love the eggplant "lasagna". The photos are terrific and look soooo delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,
Joanne
Margot, this looks fantastic and so very creative...Love it :) And great photos :)
ReplyDelete