jewish eggplant lasagna

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 2 tablespoons salt, or as needed
• 2 pounds eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
• 1 (26 ounce) jar tomato basil pasta sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) package fresh part-skim mozzarella, sliced

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• sprinkle salt over eggplant slices. place in a colander or large bowl for 30 minutes and allow eggplant to release extra liquid.
• preheat the oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• rinse eggplant slices with cold water and lightly press dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
• whisk egg and water in a bowl.
• measure matzo meal into a separate shallow bowl.
• dip eggplant slices into egg mixture and then press both sides into matzo meal. set aside breaded eggplant; do not stack.
• heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat; cook and stir onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms in hot oil until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. remove and set aside.
• heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the same frying pan over medium heat.
• place a layer of eggplant slices in the pan and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. flip and cook other side until browned, about 3 minutes, adding more olive oil as needed.
• spread 1/2 cup of tomato basil sauce in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
• place a layer of cooked eggplant on top of pasta sauce.
• cover eggplant layer with half of mushroom mixture.
• layer the remaining eggplant slices on top of mushroom mixture, followed by remaining half of mushroom mixture.
• pour pasta sauce over all the layers.
• top casserole with sliced mozzarella cheese.
• cover dish with aluminum foil.
• bake in preheated oven until sauce is bubbling, about 45 minutes.
• remove from oven and remove aluminum foil. return to oven until mozzarella cheese is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• cool for 15 minutes to allow the lasagna to set up.