Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium to large sized eggplants
• 1 large batch pomodoro sauce
• 8-12 oz ricotta
• 8-12 oz mozzarella, sliced, chunked, or shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmegiano Reggiano, divided into 1/4 cups
• 1 package fresh basil or pesto, finely and roughly chopped, reserving some leaves for presentation
• 1-2 eggs depending on the amount of ricotta you made
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Make the pomodoro sauce, can be made ahead or while the eggplant is baking

2. Make ricotta and mozzarella if not using store-bought, can be made ahead

3. Preheat the oven to 425 F

4. Trim the ends, and and slice eggplant vertically into about 1" strips

5. If desired, trim the skin from the eggplant (usually the more popular way to serve it)

6. Salt both sides and let rest for 20 minutes or salt one side, rest for 10 minutes, and flip (to reduce bitterness)

7. Pat the eggplant dry on both sides with paper towels

8. Roast the eggplant for about 20 minutes, until browned, flipping halfway through

9. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, about 1/4 cup finely chopped basil, 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and an egg

10. Mix to combine, making sure the egg is well beaten and evenly distributed

11. Add salt and pepper to taste, less salt if you salted the ricotta already, more if you didn't

12. When the eggplant is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 375

13. Begin assembly:

14. Start with a small layer of sauce on the bottom of either a 9x9 square dish or a Dutch oven

15. Create a single layer of eggplant, similar to pasta noodles (do not cross hatch, it's ok if there's some gaps)

16. Add another small layer of sauce (use sauce similar to how you would do a pizza, very thin layers)

17. Add a layer of mozzarella and sprinkle about 1/4 of the remaining parmigiano reggiano across it

18. Cover the mozzarella with about 1/3 of the ricotta filling and top with rough chopped basil leaves

19. Lightly Cover with sauce

20. Add another layer of eggplant

21. Add another thin layer of sauce

22. Add another layer of mozzarella and sprinkle about 1/4 of the remaining parmigiano reggiano across it

23. Add another layer of about 1/3 of the ricotta filling

24. Top with rough chopped basil and lightly cover with sauce

25. Add the next layer of eggplant

26. Add the next thin layer of sauce

27. Add the next layer of mozzarella and sprinkle about 1/4 of the remaining parmigiano reggiano across it

28. Add the next layer of about 1/3 of the ricotta filling

29. Top with rough chopped basil and lightly cover with sauce

30. You should get about three layers with these ingredients

31. Cover this layer with eggplant

32. Cover the eggplant with the remaining sauce, this can be a heavier coating that you've been using previously or lighter if you're low on sauce

33. Create a topping with the mozzarella cheese and fill in with any remaining parmegiano reggiano to create a crust across the top

34. Bake at 375 for about 30-35 minutes or until the mozzarella is golden and bubbly