What's Cookin'

Chehalem Mountain artist, Debra Nelson's favorite recipe for Eggplant Lasagna.  This lasagna replaces the pasta with eggplant - a great option for those avoiding flour.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil for brushing
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 large eggplants, peeled, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 48 oz chunky tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Oil 2 baking sheets with 1 tsp olive oil
2. Whisk eggs and water together in a shallow dish
3. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a separate shallow dish
4. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture
5. Press slices into the bread crumbs and tap off excess.  Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake eggplant slices in the preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.  Flip eggplant and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Remove eggplant from oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees.
8. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in ground beef.  Season beef with salt and pepper.
9. Cook and stir until beef is crumbly and evenly browned about 10 minutes.  Drain fat.
10. Stir tomato sauce into ground beef and bring to a simmer and set sauce aside.
11. Oil a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil
12. Place a third of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish
13. Ladle a third of the meat sauce over the eggplant layer
14. Sprinkle a third of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce layer.
15. Repeat layering two more times, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
16. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes
17. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly prior to serving

Serve with a simple salad, crusty garlic bread and Chianti - salut!