Lucille’s Eggplant Lasagne

This looks long but that is because I explain every little thing!

You will need:
One large eggplant or 3 medium Japanese eggplants (these tend to be less bitter but in this day and age take what you can find!)

Vegetable oil

One can San Marzano tomatoes basic large can, not giant one and not little one! I think it’s 28oz

Olive oil

One container (you won’t need all only some)finely grated Locatelli or a chunk you can grate if you can’t find. Any pecorino will do. But if you can’t get, use Parmesan but not as good. But will work in a pinch. Some people prefer it. Not me.

Fish sauce (If you don’t have a smidge of soy for umami)

White vinegar

Red pepper flakes

Salt pepper sugar

Dried basil

One ball fresh mozzarella or pack of shredded or ball that’s not fresh.

1 lb spaghetti

Half stick of Salted butter cut up into 4 tbsp

Directions:
1. Set covered pot of water for pasta to boil and turn down to simmer till ready  (don’t forget to salt JUST BEFORE adding pasta

2. Slice eggplant In half top to bottom. Slice length wise into 1/5” thick long slices. you should have about 24 slices.

Lay in single layer on a tray and light salt, lay second layer and lightly salt. Cover with a piece of Saran a lay on their side a few heavy cans on top.

You will see in half hour moisture will bead up on slices.

3. While you are waiting for eggplant to release bitterness begin prep for the sauce

Dump can of tomatoes in a bowl. Hand blender them just enough to  crush them but not purée them. They will cook down to proper consistency. If you don’t have a hand blender just crush with your hands.

In the bowl of tomatoes add:

Three good healthy pinches of salt
2 tblsp of sugar
5 grinds of black pepper
Good pinch red pepper flakes
Tablespoon of white vinegar
Half teaspoon Fish sauce
Nice sprinkle of dried basil

Stir and let sit

4. Take a large sauté pan or deep fry pan and set over medium high heat.  The bigger the cooking surface the faster it will cook.

Drizzle with olive oil till just covered. Once oil warms up, gently pour in tomatoes. Let them come to a simmer. Keep cooking and stir occasionally till the sauce loses that raw taste and starts to taste like a sweet pomodoro sauce. Should take about 20 minutes.

Mid way through add a tblsp of salted butter and sprinkle lightly some of the finely grated Locatelli. Once sauce comes together, check seasoning and set aside. You don’t want it to cook down. You want that fresco kind if sauce. Light Buttery and sweet and fresh tomato like.

5. While sauce is cooking fry your eggplant!

Rinse quickly in cold water and pat firmly each piece between a dish towel. Set aside.

Dry tray and lay paper towel or paper napkins (if conserving towels) on tray.

Find your biggest fry pan and just evenly cover bottom with vegetable oil.

Fry eggplant till just golden on each side over medium high heat. Watch to make sure they don”t burn.  Lay each done slice on prepared tray of paper towel.

6. Salt water with two handfuls if salt and cook pasta al Dente. Nothing worse than barely salted water. It should taste almost like the sea.

Drain pasta and put in a bowl and add 3 remaining pats of butter and toss so pasta is not sticky.

7.  Time to assemble lasagne.

Pre-heat oven to 350

Divide mozzarella in half and cut into small pieces. Half for each layer.

Put two large spoonfuls of sauce on bottom of pan. (See square glass pan I used?  That perfect). You will have just enough sauce so conserve it.

Add half the pasta
Layer half of the eggplant evenly
Layer  half of the mozzarella evenly
Press it all down then:
Spoon just enough sauce to cover all keeping enough for final layer.
Sprinkle generously with Locatelli

Do it all again for top layer using rest of pasta eggplant Mozzarella sauce and Locatelli in that order.

Put lasagna on a sheet pan or cookie sheet and bake for approximately one hour or until you see it bubbling up the sides and it looks like the picture.

It’s hard to over cook it. 😉

When done, take out and let it set about 15-20 mins. Cut a square with a sharp edged metal spatula and gently lift out onto a bowl.

We like ours really hot so at that point I microwave each piece for a minute before eating!!