Eggplant Lasagna

 

No Guilt but high with flavor...

This uses eggplant in place of the lasagna noodles, but you could also use zucchini or alternate layers of pasta and eggplant. 
This came about as I was looking in the refrigerator one day and saw some silken tofu remaining from another dish.  The tofu becomes the ricotta filling in this dish, but you could still use ricotta.  I always have enough tomatoes in the garden that I can some and freeze the rest.  But use any canned tomatoes you like, Muir Glen has some fire roasted tomatoes that would work well!

Eggplant:

1 medium eggplant

1/3 cup cornmeal, course ground
2 TBS wheat bread crumbs
salt
oregano

Combine cornmeal and next 3 ingredients (taste and salt to your liking). Cut eggplant in half across the wide part then slice into pieces approx. 1/4" thick.  Brush olive oil on eggplant and then coat with dry mixture, pressing the eggplant into the mixture so it sticks.  Place eggplant on baking sheet  lined with nonstick foil.    Cook on bottom of oven set at 450 until browned on both sides.

"Ricotta" filling:

3/4 cup silken tofu, set in colander to drain between paper towels
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup chopped greens, sauteed or use frozen spinach that has been defrosted and liquid squeezed out
2-3 TBS nutritional yeast or 1/4 cup grated cheese
3 TBS toasted pinenuts, ground fine *optional


tofu as prepared for lasagna





Saute garlic and onion in olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat for 4 minutes.  Add silken tofu and season with salt.  Mash tofu with fork then add greens to this mixture and season again.
Let cool and add nutritional yeast or cheese. *Add pinenuts if using, this adds some more body to the filling

Red Sauce:
use any favorite already prepared sauce
                 or prepare simple red sauce ...
Add olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat then add chopped onion, finely chopped carrot and minced garlic.  Cook until softens about 4 minutes, season with salt and dried peppers (optional).  Add chopped fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes.  Taste for seasoning and cook until tomatoes break down.
*Amounts depend on your preferences for red sauce, omit or add whatever you prefer.

In a small roasting pan (6 x 8) start to layer:
Red sauce on bottom of pan, approx 1 cup.  Cover the bottom of pan with eggplant slices, top with half the "ricotta" filling, then another layer of eggplant.  Top with remaining red sauce and sprinkle with cheese if using.  Cover and bake at 450 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 10 minutes.