Since I was craving lasagne and pasta is a big no no, I decided to try making a lasagna with eggplant instead of noodles. I think it came out pretty well so I am going to share the recipe:
1 lb. ground lamb (cheap and readily available here in NZ, but maybe not everywhere so substitute any kind of lean ground meat.)
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4" thick slices
Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 T tomato paste
red wine to taste
3 or 4 large fresh tomatoes or the equivalent amount canned.
A few sprigs of mint or parsley, chopped
feta cheese
Place eggplant slices on oiled baking tray and brush with a little more oil. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until soft and slightly brown. Meanwhile, heat another tablespoon or so of oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and garlic gently until soft. Add the lamb or other ground meat and cook until no longer pink. Add 1 tomato roughly chopped, the tomato paste and enough red wine/water to moisten everything well. Simmer for a few minutes and then add the parsley or mint.
Remove eggplant from oven. Place a layer of eggplant and sliced tomato on the bottom of a lightly oiled casserole dish. Top with meat sauce and a tiny bit of grated cheese if you like. I put feta in mine. Make another eggplant/tomato layer on top and cover with remaining meat sauce and a little more cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 300 degrees or until hot and bubbling. Serve with salad and/or a green vegetable. Serves 3 or 4.
