4 servings
This “Lasagna” uses thick slabs of roasted eggplant instead of pasta, creating a hearty and fairly simple meal that can be assembled in less than an hour. Make a bolognese-like meat sauce, but keep the cooking time fairly short to save time. Although you can simmer the sauce in a large pot, a wide, deep skillet will allow you to reduce it to your desired consistency in about 20 minutes. The sauce is made with many classic ingredients: finely chopped root vegetables, ground beef, tomatoes, milk and white wine. Layer the browned eggplant slices in the sauce, sprinkle with Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper) and Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the plate. Let’s make a plan of action. While the sauce is simmering, quickly grill the eggplant. That way, you won’t have to worry about frying or baking for a long time. Today’s eggplants have been bred to be less bitter than in the past, and the traditional method of placing cut eggplants with salt to remove bitterness is not necessary unless the eggplants are old. Roasting removes some of the moisture, making it softer without falling apart. Cut slabs at least 1/2 inch thick and watch carefully as they cook. Because the timing depends on the heat of your oven’s broiler. Once you have made the ingredients, all you have to do is layer them on a plate and bake until the surface turns brown. Melting and golden brown: a recipe with that in it means you’re looking for something irresistible.
Olive oil (for cooking)
1
Cut a large carrot into thick slices
2
Rib celery, cut into thick slices
1
small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1
tablespoon of olive oil
salt and pepper taste
1
pound lean ground meat
1/2
cup whole milk
¾
cup white wine
1
Crush a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juice in a bowl.
1
A handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Olive oil (for furikake)
3
eggplant bulbs (2 to 3 pounds), stems removed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick pieces
Aleppo or Malas pepper, or crushed red chili pepper (for sprinkling)
6
tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
¾
grated mozzarella cheese cup
1. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
2. In a food processor, pulse the carrots, celery, and onion until finely chopped.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender.
4. Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a fork. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until crumbly and no longer pink.
5. Add the milk to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the milk has mostly evaporated. Add the wine and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes or until the wine has mostly evaporated.
6. Add tomatoes and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is very thick, add water a few tablespoons at a time. If it’s too thin, continue cooking for a few minutes until the excess liquid evaporates. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add basil and stir.
7. Meanwhile, set oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and turn on broiler. Grease a rimmed baking sheet.
8. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. If it is larger than the sheet size, you can cut it to fit the sheet. Brush with olive oil. Turn the slices over and brush with more oil. Sprinkle with salt and Aleppo, Malas, or crushed red pepper. If it doesn’t all fit on the baking sheet, bake in batches.
9. Roast the eggplant for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. (The exact timing will depend on the power of your broiler, so watch carefully after 3 minutes.) Remove the eggplant from the oven.
10. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
11. Spread about 1 cup of the sauce in a baking dish. Place the eggplant slices in a tight row and cover. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover with about 1 cup of sauce. Make two more layers of eggplant, Parmesan, and sauce, finishing with the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Sally Pasley Vargas
4 servings
This “Lasagna” uses thick slabs of roasted eggplant instead of pasta, creating a hearty and fairly simple meal that can be assembled in less than an hour. Make a bolognese-like meat sauce, but keep the cooking time fairly short to save time. Although you can simmer the sauce in a large pot, a wide, deep skillet will allow you to reduce it to your desired consistency in about 20 minutes. The sauce is made with many classic ingredients: finely chopped root vegetables, ground beef, tomatoes, milk and white wine. Layer the browned eggplant slices in the sauce, sprinkle with Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper) and Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle the grated mozzarella over the plate. Let’s make a plan of action. While the sauce is simmering, quickly grill the eggplant. That way, you won’t have to worry about frying or baking for a long time. Today’s eggplants have been bred to be less bitter than in the past, and the old method of placing cut eggplants with salt to remove bitterness is not necessary unless the eggplants are old. Roasting removes some of the moisture, making it softer without falling apart. Cut slabs at least 1/2 inch thick and watch carefully as they cook. Because the timing depends on the heat of your oven’s broiler. Once you have made the ingredients, all you have to do is layer them on a plate and bake until the surface turns brown. Melting and golden brown: a recipe with that in it means you’re looking for something irresistible.
Olive oil (for cooking) | |
1 | Cut a large carrot into thick slices |
2 | Rib celery, cut into thick slices |
1 | small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces |
1 | tablespoon of olive oil |
salt and pepper taste | |
1 | pound lean ground meat |
1/2 | cup whole milk |
¾ | cup white wine |
1 | Crush a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juice in a bowl. |
1 | A handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced |
Olive oil (for furikake) | |
3 | eggplant bulbs (2 to 3 pounds), stems removed and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick pieces |
Aleppo or Malas pepper, or crushed red chili pepper (for sprinkling) | |
6 | tablespoon grated parmesan cheese |
¾ | grated mozzarella cheese cup |
1. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
2. In a food processor, pulse the carrots, celery, and onion until finely chopped.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender.
4. Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a fork. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until crumbly and no longer pink.
5. Add the milk to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the milk has mostly evaporated. Add the wine and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes or until the wine has mostly evaporated.
6. Add tomatoes and stir. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is very thick, add water a few tablespoons at a time. If it’s too thin, continue cooking for a few minutes until the excess liquid evaporates. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add basil and stir.
7. Meanwhile, set oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and turn on broiler. Grease a rimmed baking sheet.
8. Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. If it is larger than the sheet size, you can cut it to fit the sheet. Brush with olive oil. Turn the slices over and brush with more oil. Sprinkle with salt and Aleppo, Malas, or crushed red pepper. If it doesn’t all fit on the baking sheet, bake in batches.
9. Roast the eggplant for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. (The exact timing will depend on the power of your broiler, so watch carefully after 3 minutes.) Remove the eggplant from the oven.
10. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
11. Spread about 1 cup of the sauce in a baking dish. Place the eggplant slices in a tight row and cover. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover with about 1 cup of sauce. Make two more layers of eggplant, Parmesan, and sauce, finishing with the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden brown.