This is a recipe of baked layers of eggplant with ground meat sauce in between and topped with melted mozzarella cheese…a different version of the classical lasagna.
I love eggplant but sometimes I find it hard to make dishes with it…this time I decided to substitute the pasta used in lasagna for eggplants…it is easy to make, and it is delicious. I always make extra for next day lunch…
The recipe is pretty simple…and you can use whatever meat sauce that you use for pasta, therefore it can consist of turkey, pork, beef, or the mix of them. Just let your imagination flow…
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplant
- All-purpose flour
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Your favorite meat sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
Method:
Slice the eggplants into approximately ½ inch. Soak the sliced eggplants in water for a few minutes (you will notice that the water turn kind of yellowish), drain well.
In a deep dish place the all-purpose flour and coat the sliced eggplants both sides. Set aside.
In a fry pan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the coated eggplants under medium heat. Flip to the other side until both sides are golden. Remove the eggplants and place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess of oil. Do the same to the remaining eggplants.
In an oven proof dish, layer some meat sauce at the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of eggplant, and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with a meat layer and finish with the cheese on top.
Take to a preheated oven at 350F for approximately 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Garnish with parsley or cilantro. Serve hot.
If you enjoy this version of lasagna using eggplant you might want to take a look at Esfiha, Baked Meat Pie recipe.
Did you know that the deep blue/purple color of the peel or skin of the eggplant contain anthocyanins? These antioxidants are known to prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases.
