Creamy in texture and rich in taste, eggplants (also known as aubergines) are a unique vegetable that you can enjoy in hundreds of ways. One of our favourite recipes is eggplant lasagne-here’s how you can make your own.
Ingredients (makes 6 servings)
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 medium egg
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil
- 400g or 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 100g mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 60g Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
How to make it
1. Preheat your oven to 190°C while you prepare the lasagne for cooking.
2. Slice your eggplant lengthways to create your ‘pasta’ sheets. Each slice should be around 3mm thick. Then, sprinkle them with salt and leave them to dry out for around 10 minutes. If there’s any moisture remaining, use a paper towel to blot the slices dry.
3. Heat a teaspoon of cooking oil in a griddle pan on a medium setting. Once hot, grill each of your eggplant slices for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. To prepare the lasagne sauce, heat your remaining cooking oil on medium-low. Once hot, sauté your garlic and red pepper flakes until the garlic aroma is released (around 3 minutes). Add the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, and dried oregano, then simmer for around 10 minutes before removing from the heat. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
5. To prepare the cheese layer, beat your egg in a medium bowl until it’s one consistent colour and texture. Next, add all the ricotta, around ¾ of the mozzarella (75g) and ¾ of the Parmesan cheese (45g).
6. In a small (8 x 8 inch) baking pan, begin assembling your lasagne. First, spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the dish. Next, add a layer of eggplant slices. Then add a layer of cheese mixture. Repeat until all your eggplant slices have been used up, finishing the top with a layer of sauce and the remaining mozzarella (25g) and Parmesan cheese (15g).
7. Bake in your heated oven until the cheese is melted. Then, place the lasagne under the grill on a high heat for 5 minutes to brown the cheese. Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Get it delivered
If you’d rather order delivery to satisfy your craving for eggplants, try the lasagne-like Eggplant Parmigiana at Cucina Restaurant.
