Eggplant Lasagna

      This E-Blog blog recipe comes with a highly nutritive value for everyone. A must try and you won't regret having it as a meal.  This dish which I got from a pasta dish cookbook given to me as a gift by my student Abba gives you a different view and taste of what lasagna is all about. I'm a pasta lover but normally we were used to having pasta mixed w/meat sauce. This recipe makes a difference. With the absence of meat in it, the flavor of a real lasagna is very much present. This was originally entitled vegetarian lasagne but I have made changes and variations in the ingredients and increased the amount of "aubergine" (eggplant) so I entitled it eggplant lasagne. Try it.

Ingredients:

250 g lasagna sheets

200 g ricotta cheese

250 g mozzarella cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium size eggplant, halved and cut lengthwise.

1 small can sliced button mushroom

1 medium size carrot, grated

1 medium size onion, chopped

1 medium head garlic, minced

500 gms spaghetti sauce

1 small can of tomato paste

1/c cup red wine (optional)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsely

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling water, al dente.  Drain and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in the skillet and saute garlic, onion, eggplant, mushrooms and carrot for 2 minutes.  

3. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, wine and parsley. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring

    occasionally.

4. Season with oregano, pepper and salt.

5. Grease a rectangular ovenproof dish with butter. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce, cover with a layer of

    cooked lasagne. Spread 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese and and 1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese.

6. Repeat the layers until all are used up finishing with ricotta and mozarella cheese on top.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutess until cheese are melted.

8. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

Tips:

Soak eggplant in water after slicing to avoid discoloration.