Tweet
- Photo: Lachlan / Flickr
This eggplant lasagne recipe is great for vegetarians and can be prepared ahead of time. Ingredients include lasagne sheets, onion, tomatoes, eggplant (or brinjal), mozzarella cheese, olive oil, marjoram and olive oil. The white sauce requires butter, flour, milk and nutmeg. Any cooked seasonal vegetables can be used instead of eggplant for the filling. Oven roasted butternut or pumpkin slices or well drained cooked spinach make for a delicious alternative dish. Allow for one cup of filling for each layer.
Ingredients
Measure out the following ingredients to serve six generous portions: 15ml olive oil, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 sprig of marjoram, 1600 grams of good quality tinned tomatoes (chopped), 2kg of eggplant (sliced), 2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese and 12 to 15 slices of lasagne sheets. You will also need salt and pepper to taste.
The white sauce requires 125 grams of butter, 250ml of ordinary flour (sifted), 5 measuring cups of milk — as well as some nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the eggplant slices
Salt the eggplant (or brinjal) and allow the slices to stand for half an hour before rinsing and drying them (pat dry with a tea towel). Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and bake for approximately 40 minutes on 200 degrees Celsius. Turn the eggplaint slices halfway through the cooking — after 20 minutes.
Alternatively, fry the eggplant slices in oil until they are cooked and golden in colour. Drain them well with kitchen paper.
Prepare the sauce
Stir the onion in the olive oil on a medium heat until it is caramalised. This should take about a quarter of an hour to 20 minutes. Lower the heat and add the marjoram, stirring for another minute. Add the tomato and season to taste. Cover the pot and simmer the sauce for two hours until it is reduced to a thick sauce with a rich flavour.
Prepare the white sauce
Melt the butter on a low heat and gradually stir in the flour until it is well combined with the butter. Slowly add the milk, stirring with a balloon whisk to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a slow boil while stirring continuously — until the sauce is thick. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Press the sauce through a sieve to remove any lumps, should it be necessary.
Prepare eggplant lasagne
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Place a layer of lasagne sheets over the sauce and follow with a layer of eggplant/brinjal. Spread a layer of whites sauce over the eggplant and some cheese. Do the same for the next layer but leave out the cheese.
Repeat until you have three or four layers, finishing with white sauce and a topping of cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted and is light brown in colour. Once cooked, allow the dish to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Leave a Response