This recipe is time consuming but well worth it. Make sure you have enough time to complete the process. You should allow at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
TIPS:
You can prepare everything ahead of time, one or two days before your planned event, and put into the refrigerator covered tightly. Bake the day you plan on serving.
If you are using an aluminum disposable pan, double the pans. Putting one pan inside the other strenghtens to disposable pans. Lasagna is heavy. You don't want your single pan to buckle in the middle as you remove from the oven.
* If you are baking after lasagna has ben refrigerated, increase baking time and keep checking. Bake until noodles are soft, cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Poke a butter knife into the middle of the lasagna and hold for a few seconds. Pull out and feel knife. If it's hot, the lasagna is heated through. *
To Make The Homemade Sauce:
Chop half a yellow onion and place into a pot. Add a little olive oil, just enough to coat the bottom. Allow onions to cook on medium/low heat, stirring often. Mince garlic. Add to pot when onions soften. Stir well. Don't let garlic burn, it gets bitter.
When the onions and garlic are softened, squeeze in a little bit of tomato paste. Fry the paste for about 1 minute. Add in onion and garlic powder to taste. Fry for approximately 40 seconds, stirring constantly.
Immediately pour crushed tomatoes into the pot and stir well. Lower heat to a simmer and partially cover. Continue to stir often. Allow to cook for about a half hour and then add in sugar, salt and basil. Be sure to stir the sauce often so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Allow sauce to simmer at least a half hour.
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To Prepare the Lasagna:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Peel your eggplant as sauce is simmering. Cut into approximately 1 inch slices and cut the larger slices in half. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with olive oil. Spray the top of the eggplant with olive oil. Place into the oven and roast approximately 30 minutes.
As the eggplant roasts, slice your fresh mozzarella into strips. I like to dab it dry a bit with a paper towel before slicing. Set aside. Next, prepare your breadcrumb and flour mixture. Add breadcrumb and flour to a bowl. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and salt to taste and blend together well. Set aside.
Put water up to boil to cook the pasta. Cook pasta half the amount of time the package recommends. It will cook more in the oven later. If you overcook at this step, you will have mushy lasagna. Drain pasta into a colander and immediately run cold water on it to stop the cooking process. Gently move lasagna noodles around with your hand and spray with cold water. A little trick my mom taught me is to hang the noodles over the colander to keep them from sticking together.
As the lasagna noodles cook, allow your roasted eggplant to cool enough that it will be easy to handle without getting burned. Prepare the bottom of your baking pan with a little layer of sauce.
We will start building our lasagna now. In a large work area, place the pot of sauce, the colander with noodles, the baking pan and all the other ingredients that will be layered.
On top of the sauce, layer the lasagna noodles. Pour olive oil into breadcrumb mixture and stir until breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Spread some of the breadcrumbs on top of the lasagna noodles. Add a little more sauce on top of breadcrumbs. Add plops of Ricotta cheese and spread out. Place half the mozzarella on top of the Ricotta.
Layer the eggplant next. Then add the rest of the breadcrumb on top. Add a small amount of sauce on top of breadcrumbs and spread over the top.
Place the second layer of lasagna noodles into the pan. Top with sauce. Add more Ricotta. Then add the rest of the mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Top it all with a small layer of sauce.
You will be doing 2 layers of lasagna noodles, one on bottom and one on top with one layer of eggplant in the middle.
Spray tinfoil with olive oil and cover lasagna tightly with foil. Place into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover lasagna and bake another 15 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. You want the dish to set. If you serve immediately, your lasagna will fall apart into mush.
Serve and enjoy.
I placed the leftover eggplant into a glass container, added sauce and some mozzarella cheese and put into the refrigerator to be heated up in the microwave when desired.
If you are not serving a lot of people, allow lasagna to cool completely for a few hours. Cut into pieces and place into freezer friendly storage containers. Label and place into the freezer for future meals. I placed three into the freezer and one into the refrigerator to eat within a day or two. Perfect for those busy nights after work when you want to have a quick meal with no fuss.
Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
1/2 a yellow onion
5 or 6 garlic cloves
Olive oil
2 - 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes - I prefer Tuttorosso brand
Tomato paste - I prefer Cento brand
Onion powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
Garlic powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Basil leave to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
For the Lasagna:
1 large eggplant
1 package gluten free lasagna noodles - I prefer Tinkyada brand
Gluten free plain breadcrumbs - I use 4C
2 tablespoons Gluten free flour - I prefer King Arthur's Measure for Measure
Onion powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
Garlic powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
Parsley flakes to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise specified
Olive oil
Fresh mozzarella - I prefer BelGioioso brand which is gluten free
Ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese - I prefer BelGioioso brand which is gluten free
SEE TIPS ABOVE.
