This hearty dish substitutes roasted eggplant slices for pasta so it works well for those who are gluten in tolerant or just want to avoid carbs. It comes from Lidey Heuck in NYTimes Cooking and we made it as a Sunday night dinner, with a few small alterations. We made the tomato sauce from scratch although buying some marinara sauce isn’t the end of the world if you are pressed for time.
For this you’ll need: x3 or 4 medium eggplants (cut lengthwise into 1/2″ slices), 1.5 cups ricotta, 1 lemon (for zest and juice), 1 large package baby spinach, 1/2-3/4 cup parmesan (grated), 1 egg, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped), 2 cups marinara sauce (we basically used a version of the sauce outlined in our “Sunday Sauce” post), 2 cups shredded mozzarella, salt, pepper, olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 425.
Place the sliced eggplant on top of parchment paper on 3 or 4 roasting tins. Brush well with olive oil then sprinkle salt and pepper over all. Turn them over to the other side and repeat.
Place the eggplant in the preheated oven and roast until just browned, about 30 mins, turning once about halfway through.
Add about 2Tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach in batches until all are reduced and withered, about 2-3 mins. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the ricotta “sauce.” Place the ricotta, egg, lemon zest, juice from 1 lemon, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and the sautéed spinach. Mix together well with a spoon.
Once the eggplant is done remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Keep the oven on.
In a large baking dish add about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce, then a layer of eggplant slices, then some of the ricotta mixture and finally a layer of mozzarella. Repeat this for one or two more layers depending on the size of your dish and the amount of eggplant and sauce you have. Finish the top with a little more marinara, a layer of grated parmesan and some mozzarella.
Place it in the oven, uncovered, and cook for 20-30 minutes until brown and bubbly. Remove it from the oven and let it settle at room temperature for at least 10 mins before serving.
Dinner at Our Place 