Lasagna with Spinach and Eggplant
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta-Baked
Season: 
Difficulty: Labor Intensive

This is a lasagna where the emphasis is on the vegetables more than the pasta.  There are not a large number of leaves of lasagna used.  It is very colorful with the contract of the white cheeses and the green spinach and looks impressive when cooked in an earthenware casserole. It's delicious, a favorite with kids, and you are unlikely to have leftovers.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 12 servings
Preparation Time: 3 hours

Olive oil for frying

1 large eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and sliced 3/ 8 inch thick

2 pounds spinach, heavy stems removed, washed well

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeds squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a box grater down to the peel

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup pitted imported black olives

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 1/4 pounds lasagna (preferably instant, no-boil)

1/2 pound mascarpone cheese

1 pound ricotta cheese

Freshly grated pecorino cheese for serving

1. In a deep-fryer or an eight-inch saucepan with a wire fry basket, preheat the frying oil to 360 degrees F.

2. Fry the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown, about 4 minutes a side. Drain and remove to a paper towel-lined platter to drain further.

3. In a large saucepan or stock pot, place the spinach with only the water adhering to it from its last rinsing, cover, and wilt over high heat, turning once or twice, about 4 minutes. Remove to a strainer and drain well by pressing out gently with the back of a wooden spoon.

4. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then cook the onion and garlic until translucent, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the meat and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, red wine, eggplant, olives, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce is thick, stirring gently and occasionally, about 1 hour. Add some water if it is getting too thick.  Add the basil and cook another 5 minutes.

5. Layer the bottom of a large earthenware casserole (preferably) or a lasagna pan with a few tablespoons of sauce. Cover with sheets of lasagna, then the spinach, a few randomly placed dollops of both mascarpone and ricotta, the sauce, and then another layer of lasagna. Continue in this order finishing a top layer with spinach, dollops of cheese, and sauce. Drizzle the top very lightly with olive oil.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

7. Cover the casserole with a tented piece of aluminum foil and bake until the sauce and cheese are bubbling, about 45 minutes. Serve hot with pecorino cheese for sprinkling or cool and freeze.

Variation: 

Note:  You can reheat frozen lasagna directly from the freezer if you have cooked the lasagna originally in an aluminum pan. For frozen lasagna, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place the frozen lasagna in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, check the center and cook longer if necessary.

Posted: 12/27/2006