Jewish Eggplant Lasagna Recipes

SEPHARDIC MEAT AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA: MEGINAH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large frying pan, brown ground turkey and veal, approximately 10 minutes. Once brown, drain, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cinnamon onto mixture, and set aside. In another large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute diced onions until browned. Add sliced mushrooms to onion mixture, and saute together with seasoning, pinch of salt and pepper, until cooked. Place cooked mixture in large bowl and set aside. Using the same frying pan (do not wash), add remaining 1/4 cup oil and saute with pinches of salt and pepper, diced eggplant and garlic, until soft. Add these ingredients to onions and mushrooms in the mixing bowl. Add minced parsley, salt, freshly ground pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce to vegetable mixture. Combine browned turkey and veal with vegetable mixture; adjust seasonings. Add 1/4-cup sugar or honey to taste, and set aside. Cover counter top with heavy-duty paper towels. Use 2 aluminum roasting pans, 1 for matzo-soaking process, and 1 for egg dipping process. Fill 1 large aluminum roasting pan halfway with almost boiling water. Add matzos, 1 at a time to this "bath" and soak until wet through, not falling apart, but pliable. Remove and lay on paper towels. Place more towels on top of matzos to soak up excess water, if necessary. Fill second large aluminum roasting pan with about 3 cartons of liquid eggs. (You will dip the softened matzos into egg mixture, 1 at a time as you layer.) Grease 2 (9-1/2 by 13 inch) glass baking dishes lightly with olive oil. Open remaining cans of tomato sauce, pour into mixing bowl, and set aside. Start layering in Pyrex baking dish. First with a thin amount of tomato sauce on bottom, then with 2 to 2 1/2 egg dipped matzos (these are used similarly to lasagna noodles), then with filling mixture, then several dollops of tomato sauce, continuing to repeat process until each baking dish uses 6 to 8 matzos. Finish with a layer of matzos brushed lightly with tomato sauce. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, until top is firm and golden.

JEWISH EGGPLANT LASAGNA

Steps:

• 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.

PASSOVER EGGPLANT LASAGNE

Steps:

• Saute onion in butter.
• Combine garlic, eggplant, bell pepper, salt, pepper, half of tomato sauce, and mushrooms and add to onion. Cook covered, 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes.
• Separately mix oregano with cottage cheese.
• Grease a 2-qt (11 x 7) casserole and arrange alternate layers of vegetables, cottage cheese, and matzo pieces, and drizzle with remaining tomato sauce on top of each matzo layer. Begin and end with vegetables.
• Top with shredded mozzarella.
• Bake uncovered at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until cheese browns and sauces are bubbling. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

JEWISH EGGPLANT LASAGNA

Steps:

• 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.