Eggplant Lasagna

I have made this dish before, but this time around it turned out exceptionally well. I think it’s because I used a different cooking method. The ricotta cheese had still not melted thoroughly in the photo, so it was still visible in certain areas.

First, I sliced and placed the eggplant in a greased baking dish. I use ghee for greasing. I seasoned it well with salt and pepper. I placed it the oven at 350 F degrees for 1 hour. This really helped to remove excess water and it gave it a roasted look and texture. It also improved the taste giving the eggplant a nutty flavor.

I cooked 1 lb. ground beef on the stove with a little bit onion, half a red pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 celery stalk (to make up for the little bit of onion) and 2 tomatoes. I seasoned the meat well with salt and pepper and Italian dried herbs. I also added stuffed olives, once cooked.

Once the eggplant was done, I spread the beef over it and added the ricotta cheese.

It turned out very well and had the same texture and consistency of real lasagna. You can certainly use more layers and more ingredients, depending on how many servings you want. Just remember to cook the eggplant and meat separately and it will avoid soggy, watery eggplant.