Healthy Eggplant Lasagna
Posted by Domenic Palumbo on 6 August 2018
Cooks: 4 / Prep Time: 30 mins / Cook Time: 40 mins / Total Time: 70 mins
Ingredients & Preparation - Sauce
3 400g tinned organic diced tomato - open
2 400g tinned organic black beans - open and rinse
1 onion - finely chopped
2 garlic gloves - leave whole just give them a little bash with your palm
Mushrooms - thinly slice
Capsicum - thinly slice
Small fresh chilli (medium spice) - finely chop
60ml Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method - Sauce
1. Add oil to saucepan and cook onions on low heat until they go nice and soft.
2. Add garlic, chilli, mushrooms, capsicum and black beans. Sauté for about 2 mins.
3. Then add tomatoes and crack about 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Place the lid half on the saucepan and allow to cook on low heat for about 30 mins.
4. Once cooked - set aside (tip - the longer you cook sauce the thicker and tastier it will get)
Ingredients & Preparation - Lasagna
4 large eggplants - slice thin flat long lengths (like a lasagna pasta sheet)
200g Parmasen cheese - grate and set aside (Vegan - replace with vegan parmesan cheese)
450g Mozzarella cheese - thinly slice (Vegan - replace with vegan mozzarella cheese)
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder
60ml olive oil
Method - Lasagna
1. Pre-bake the eggplant sheets in oven or if you live in a van like we do you will have to cook each side in a fry pan. This will take a little longer depending on the size of the pan. Wether you do this in the oven or pan make sure you baste each eggplant sheet with water to keep it nice and moist. This is so that the eggplant melts in your mouth.
2. Once the sauce and eggplant sheets are ready you can begin to layer.
3. Using a large baking tray line the bottom of the tray with eggplant - you will need to use a knife and cut the eggplant sheets into shape and size so that you cover every single part of every layer. (Note - I cooked this in the van over the stove in a deep frypan. If you do this make sure you have a lid for the pan so that the heat is trapped)
4. Once you have you first eggplant layer down, spread a good amount of the thick sauce followed by parmesan cheese and then mozzarella.
5. Then keep repeating the above until you get to the top lip of the tray or pan.
6. You want your final layer to be cheese directly on the eggplant sheet as sauce will rise to the top around the sides.
7. Place in the oven and cook for 30 mins. Prick the middle with a knife and if it slides straight through then it is ready, if not then cook for a little more.
8. Take out of the oven or turn heat off and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This will make the cutting and serving much easier.
9. While you are waiting for it to cool slightly you can make the chilli oil garnish. Simply mix the olive oil and chilli flakes or powder in a small bowl or pouring jug.
10. To serve - cut lasagna in even squares and place in the centre of a flat plate. Drizzle the chilli oil around the edge of the plate and sprinkle a little more parmesan on top for taste and presentation.
Buon appetito aka happy eating :-)