2Largeeggplant sliced 1 cm (1/3 inch) thick- rubbed with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and oven baked in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes or microwaved for 3-4 minutes.
Filling
500gms/18 oz minced/ground beef
800gms28 oz tinned tomatoes diced sugar free
½cupred wine or white wine
1largeonion finely chopped
2tablespoonsTbspns chopped garlic
2tablespoonsTbspns chopped parsley
2teaspoonstspns dried oregano
A dash of extra virgin olive oilEVOO
Salt and pepper to taste
White Sauce
1- 1 ½cupsricotta cheese
½cupcream- full fat pouring/pure cream
2eggs
½cuptasty/mozzarella cheese grated
Topping
½cuptasty cheese/mozzarella to top your lasagna
Instructions
To Prepare the Meat Filling
Cook off the minced meat until brown.
Add the garlic and onion and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.
Add the red wine and continue cooking for a further few minutes until the wine reduces slightly.
Add any additional vegetables that you desire (including the ends of the eggplant that have too much skin on them) and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add tomato and herbs and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
To Prepare the White Sauce
Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
Beat in the cream and ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
Fold in the grated cheese.
To Assemble the Lasagna
Using a 20 cm x 25 cm (8 x 10 inch) or slightly larger lasagna pan, place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of the pan.
Spoon on about 1/3 of the meat and top with about 1/4 of the white sauce.
Repeat the layers 2 more times finishing with a slightly more generous layer of white sauce.
Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese to finish.
Bake in a moderately hot oven approximately 170 C /350 F for 40-50 minutes. If you want it browned more, simply up the temperature for the last 10 minutes of baking. If it is browning too quickly, cover with foil.
Allow to rest for approximately 15 minutes before serving. Tastes amazing the next day and holds its shape really well. Ideal for freezing.
Notes
Make a vegetarian filling by omitting the meat and boosting with vegetables. Use any type of minced meat in place of the beef. Use white wine instead of red if there isn't any red available (although red wine is preferred in my family!) or omit wine and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. I specified between 1- 1 ½ cups of ricotta cheese as it depends on the size of the container you can buy. If you don't have any ricotta cheese you can add an additional 1/2 cup of cream to the white sauce recipe instead.Clean out your fridge Lasagna- add red or green peppers, olives, spinach leaves, additional eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms or celery, to boost the nutritional value.