Kristina Scaviola's Homemade Sausage and Eggplant Lasagna
Made with grilled eggplant instead of noodles, and cooked on the grill in a springform pan. Most of the roasted garlic head usually goes into the ricotta.
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant, large
- 2 cup Tomato sauce, 1 to 2 cups, jarred or homemade
- 15 oz Ricotta
- Mozzarella, smoked, grated, to taste
- Pecorino romano, grated, to taste
- 1 head Garlic, roasted
- 1/2 bunch Basil, fresh, chopped, plus more for layering and topping
- 2 sprig Oregano, 1 to 2 fresh, leaves roughly chopped
- 1 Egg, whisked
- Salt
- Black pepper, fresh ground
- 1/3 lb Italian sausage, hot, homemade or store-bought, browned and cooked through
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- Red pepper flakes, for garnish
Directions
- Heat half the grill to high and the other half to moderate.
- Slice the eggplant into rounds, salt liberally and drain on paper towels.
- Mix the ricotta with the basil, oregano, several cloves of roasted garlic, a small handful of smoked mozzarella and 1 to 2 tablespoons Romano. Taste and add salt, pepper and more cheese as you like, then stir in the egg.
- Wipe the salt and liquid off the eggplant, brush with olive oil and season. Grill on the hot side 1 to 2 minutes per side, until marked and soft but not falling apart.
- Layer sauce, eggplant, ricotta and crumbled sausage in a springform pan until the eggplant is used up. Finish with sauce, smoked mozzarella and a little Romano, and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover with foil and cook on the moderate side of the grill (about 350 degrees F) about 30 minutes, until bubbling at the sides. Uncover to brown the cheese, or finish under the broiler.
- Rest about 20 minutes, unmold and garnish with basil, cheese and pepper flakes.