Eggplant Lasagna

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Step 2

Lay eggplant slices out onto prepared baking sheets into a single layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until tender, about 25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Step 3

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, add in ground sausage or ground beef. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Add in onion and garlic and cook until meat is well browned, stirring constantly. Stir in fresh basil, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and wine. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

Step 4

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg. Refrigerate until ready to assemble lasagna.

Step 5

Lightly grease a deep 9x13 pan. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place 6 eggplant slices on top to cover the bottom of the pan. Spread with ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with ¼ of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, then sprinkle with ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Repeat layering two more times to create three complete layers. To finish, place a final layer of eggplant, topped with another 1 cup of meat sauce to cover the eggplant. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Step 6

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve hot.