Eggplant Lasagna

I'm a terrible poker player.🃏 I'm just not very good at hiding my feelings and even though I might not always say everything that I'm thinking - my face always tells the truth. 😬  Those that know me tease me about the fact that I have absolutely zero poker face.😅   It's not necessarily a bad personality trait but it's gotten me into trouble on more than one occasion. 

​I'm not a wine snob or a wine connoisseur in any sense of the word.  I enjoy a glass of wine when we go out to dinner and I generally stick to something in the cabernet family.  One night I decided to stretch outside of my relatively small wine comfort zone and order something different.  The server recommended 2 different wines with so much vigor and conviction that I ordered a sample of each.  🍷

What I did NOT expect was that our most gracious server would stand at the table and watch me sample her suggested wines.😬  This is where my face gets me into trouble because I just knew that my expression was giving away all the thoughts that were swirling around my head while I sipped.   I wanted so badly to tell her that I agreed with her recommendations and I loved them both, but after one sip, there was no denying the fact that I wasn't a fan of either wine.  🥴  

So, I did what every socially awkward person would do in that situation.  I attempted to avoid the condemning stares from the server and sidestep the conversation by asking for a sample tasting of third type of wine.  🤦🏻‍♀️  I'm honestly not sure whether the 3d glass of wine was really exceptional but I didn't make a weird face when I drank it, so I'm took that as a good sign and I ordered a glass.  😅

I'm not the only person in my family that has a hard time maintaining a poker face when I eat something that doesn't meet my expectations though. 😑 I've learned to read my family's faces when they take that first bite of something, pretty well.  It also helps that they're not shy about sharing their feedback after a meal. 😅  

Eggplant Lasagna is always a good choice if I want to get truly authentic facial feedback.  It's impossible to eat this cheese and marinara smothered veggie layered in between delicate sheets of pasta, without making a face.  You have to either smile because you enjoy it or make the face of someone who is trying to swallow a bite that they wished they hadn't ever put into their mouth.  😋🥴  I'm happy to report that there were lots of smiles at the table when I served this eggplant lasagna.  We all agreed that it was delicious and we ate every bite - no poker faces required.  

Eggplant Lasagna
3 large eggplants 
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, spray olive oil or ghee
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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
6 ounces baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
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16-ounce tub of whole milk ricotta
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
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24-ounce jar marinara sauce, about 3 cups
8 no-boil lasagna noodles 
1– 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1/4– 1/3  cup pecorino 
1/4–1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1/2" slices.  ​

Lay on paper towel lined baking sheets and sprinkle both sides with salt.  Let sit 20 minutes. 

Brush or spray with olive oil and roast on foil lined baking sheet for 30 minutes at 400.  

Saute onion in a skillet until soft and tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until wilted. 

Stir together ricotta, egg, salt, pepper and basil.

Pour 3/4 cup marinara in the bottom of a greased 9x13"baking dish.

Place noodles over sauce. 

Top with a thin layer of marinara and half of the eggplant.  

Spread half of the ricotta mixture over eggplant.  

Spoon all of the spinach mixture over the top. 

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 T. pecorino. 

Add another layer of noodles and marinara.

Add remaining eggplant and ricotta.

Top with noodles and marinara and sprinkle with chili flakes.

Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 T. pecorino.  

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 375.  Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer. 

It's completely up to you as to whether or not you want to disclose the fact that it's a vegetable based lasagna, ahead of time.  As for me, I'll never stop trying to sneak vegetables into soups and tacos.  It's just how I roll. 🤣 Enjoy the recipe!

Ciao!

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