Eggplant lasagna is a household favorite after making it one time. It was delicous!!! My girls devoured it and asked for more even with eggplant and spinach in it if you can believe that! It is super easy to make, but you do need to start about two hours before you are ready eat supper. You will need: two eggplants, marinara sauce, 10 oz box frozen spinach (thawed), ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt.
The reason you need so much time is because you need to make the eggplant “sweat” and then when it is done cooking it needs to cool off to set before eating.
First, cut the ends off of the eggplants. Cut the eggplants into slices (circles, not length). Try and cut them about centimeter thick… all about the same size. It is important to try and keep them the same size so they bake evenly. Spread out all of the slices on a paper towel. Lightly sprinkle salt over the pieces. Let them set for a half hour. Brown juice will come out of the eggplant. With a paper towel, dry off the eggplants.
While the eggplants are “sweating”, take a container of ricotta cheese, two cups mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup (or more) Parmesan cheese mix together in a bowl. Take the spinach and dry with a towel. Add spinach to the cheese mixture. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and egg to the mixture. Stir until mixed up completely.
Turn on the oven to 400* degrees.
Grease (I used Pam spray) a cake pan. Lightly spread marinara sauce all over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle a little garlic powder and Italian seasoning into the sauce. Next, spread out half of the eggplant pieces on the sauce. Use a spatula and spread the cheese mixture across the eggplant. Complete another layer the same way. At this point, the mixture and eggplant should be gone. Do one more light layer of sauce. Spread about two cups of mozzarella cheese out on top. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until a little crispy on top. Let cool off for about 15 minutes before serving so the cheese and sauce sets.
Happy cooking!
