Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant Lasagna

Fried Eggplant:

2 eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick

Salt & pepper

1 egg

2 Tbs milk

1 cup flour

1 cup bread crumbs

3 cups oil (for frying)

Lasagna:

1 lb ground sausage (Jimmy Dean prefered)

Or mixed sauteed veggies (zucchini, squash, onions, bell peppers, spinach, etc.)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, split

1 tsp parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups 

Eggplant:

Spread your sliced eggplant out on paper towels and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Let them weep for 10-15 minutes and the pat them dry with more paper towels.  Set up 3 large, shallow bowls with flour in one, egg (scrambled) with milk in the second and breadcrumbs in the last.  Get your oil hot and reduce to medium heat.  Dredge each slice of eggplant in flour, then egg wash and then breadcrumbs.  Fry until golden brown flipping once.  Remove from oil and cool on a rack or paper towels.  Dust with salt & pepper.  

Lasagna Layers:

Preheat oven to 400*  Brown ground sausage and drain grease.  Mix sausage (or sauteed veggies) with 1 cup marinara.  In separate mixing bowl combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, parsley and salt & pepper.  Spread 1/4 cup of plain marinara in the bottom of 2 loaf pans.  Spread the ricotta mixture on four slices of eggplant.  Keep in mind that you'll be spreading the mixture on 3 layers of 4 eggplant slices each so ration it out accordingly.  Place 2 cheese spread eggplant slices in the bottom of each loaf pan.  Spread meaty marinara over the 1st layer.  Again, plan on 3 layers in each pan so ration it accordingly.    Repeat ricotta on eggplant and topping with meat sauce until you run out of ingredients or room in your loaf pan.  Top the final layer of meat sauce with plain fried eggplant.  Spread 1/4 cup plain marinara over the top of each lasagna and cover with foil.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Split the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella between the two lasagnas and spread evenly over the top.  Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.