Description
This Eggplant Parmigiana Lasagna is a delightful vegetarian twist on traditional lasagna, featuring layers of tender fried eggplant, rich tomato passata, creamy béchamel sauce, fresh mozzarella, and grated Parmigiano cheese. Baked until golden and bubbly, it's a comforting Italian classic perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Lasagna Base and Vegetables
- 10.5 ounces lasagne pasta sheets (fresh, dried, or homemade)
- 3 large eggplants (washed and sliced)
- 3 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Vegetable oil (for frying eggplant as required)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Tomato Sauce
- 1.5 pints tomato passata
Cheeses
- 10 ounces fresh mozzarella (drained and sliced)
- 5.3 ounces Parmigiano or Grana cheese (grated; more if desired)
Béchamel Sauce
- 2.5 ounces unsalted butter
- 2.5 ounces all-purpose flour (or Italian '00' flour)
- 17 fluid ounces fresh whole milk
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preparation: Wash and slice the eggplants into even slices. Peel the garlic cloves. Drain the mozzarella and slice into halves or quarters as needed, setting all aside for later use.
- Fry Eggplants: Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides. Remove them onto kitchen paper-lined bowls to drain excess oil thoroughly.
- Prepare Tomato Sauce: If olive oil was used for frying and there is still excess, pour most out leaving just enough to cook in the pan. If vegetable oil was used, clean the pan with kitchen paper and add olive oil. Heat the olive oil and add garlic cloves, sautéing until softened. Add tomato passata and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and stir continuously to form a thick roux paste. Remove from heat temporarily. Gradually add milk while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Return to low-medium heat, stirring until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir for another minute, then allow the sauce to cool slightly to thicken further.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Place a single layer of lasagne sheets on top. Cover with tomato sauce, a layer of fried eggplant slices, pieces of mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano. Pour 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce evenly over this layer.
- Repeat Layers: Add another layer of lasagne sheets and repeat the layering steps: tomato sauce, eggplant slices, mozzarella, basil, grated cheese, and béchamel. Depending on the depth of your dish, repeat this once or twice more to build multiple layers.
- Final Layer: Finish with a top layer of pasta sheets covered generously with béchamel sauce and a final sprinkling of grated Parmigiano cheese.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake the assembled lasagna in the preheated oven until the top turns golden brown and slightly crispy, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the dish midway if needed for even cooking.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna rest for at least 5 minutes after baking to set before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to firm up and enhances flavor melding.
Notes
- Use fresh eggplants for best texture and flavor. If eggplants are very bitter, you may salt and drain them before frying.
- You can prepare the béchamel and tomato sauces ahead of time to speed up assembly.
- For a lighter version, consider baking the eggplant slices instead of frying, although traditional recipe prefers frying for texture.
- Adjust salt and pepper according to taste, especially after frying the eggplant, which absorbs oil and seasoning.
- Lasagne sheets can be fresh, dried, or homemade, but no-boil sheets are not recommended as they may not cook evenly in this recipe.
- Fresh basil adds fragrance and traditional Italian flavor; add it just before layering to preserve freshness.
