Recipe - Eggplant Lasagna With Basil

1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
One half Mediumsize yellow onion
(about 1 c); finely minced
Salt and pepper
One half teaspoon Dried basil
6 Cloves garlic; finely
chopped
One fourth cup Dry red wine
1 cn (28oz) tomatoes with juice;
pureed
1 Bay leaf
B: THE EGGPLANT
2 One half pound Japanese eggplant; cut or sliced up
1/2" thick diameter
3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
2 Cloves garlic; finely
chopped
Salt and pepper
C: RICOTTA CUSTARD
1 pound Ricotta cheese
2 Eggs; beaten
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese; grated
3 pn Freshly grated nutmeg
One half teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
D: HERB BECHAMEL RECIPE
2 One half cup Milk
2 tablespoon Unsalted butter
3 tablespoon Unbleached white flour
Several leaves parsley;
sage, thyme; and majoram
bundled together
One fourth teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
E: ASSEMBLING LASAGNA
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese; grated
1 One fourth cup Provolone cheese; grated
1 One fourth cup Mozzarella cheese; grated
One half cup Chopped fresh basil
1 pound Fresh pasta sheets

Date: Sat, 2 Mar 1996 14:54:43 0500

From: J Barcelo jjb16@cornell.edu

Recipe By: Fields of Greens/A. Somerville
A: TOMATO SAUCEHeat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, 1/2
tsp. salt, a pinch of pepper, and the basil; saute over medium heat until
soft, 5 to 7 min. Add the garlic and saute for 5 min., then add the wine
and simmer 1 to 2 min., until pan is nearly dry. Add tomatoes, One fourth teaspoon
salt, and bay leaf; simmer, uncovered, for 30 min. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.

B: THE EGGPLANTPreheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the eggplant
with the olive oil, the garlic, One half tsp. salt, and a few pinches of pepper.
Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake for 1520 min., until slices
are soft in center. Cool and slice into thick strips. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. The eggplant should be very flavorful.

C: RICOTTA CUSTARDPlace the ricotta in a mixing bowl and stir in eggs;
add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

D: HERB BECHAMELHeat milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a separate
pan, add flour, and cook the resulting roux over low heat for 23 min.,
stirring constantly. When the milk is scalded, pour it onto the roux a
little at a time, whisking continuously. Add the bundled herbs, salt, and
pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 min. Remove the herbs just before
assembling lasagna.

E: ASSEMBLING THE LASAGNAToss the cheeses together and set aside 1/3 cup
to sprinkle on top during baking. Reserve 1 tbsp basil to sprinkle on top
after baking. When you're ready to assemble lasagna, preheat oven to 350
degrees F. In bottom of a 9 by 13inch baking pan, spread 1 One half cups
tomato sauce and cover it with a layer of pasta. Pour another cup of sauce
over the pasta, followed by half the eggplant. Sprinkle with half the mixed
cheeses, half the chopped basil, and another layer of pasta. Spread the
ricotta custard evenly over the pasta and cover with another layer of
pasta. Add a last cup of tomato sauce and then rest of eggplant and basil;
follow with the rest of the cheese and a final layer of pasta. Top with the
bechamel. Cover and bake for 20 min. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/3 cup
cheeses, and bake, uncovered, until the bechamel has set, 1015 min. Remove
from the oven and sprinkle with reserved basil.

NOTES : For more intense basil flavor, substitute pesto for the basil.
Spread the sauce over the layers of eggplant, then sprinkle with the
cheese. You can also make the lasagna without bechamel, using tomato sauce
in its place. Double the sauce recipe.

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