EGGPLANT LASAGNE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Prick the whole aubergines all over with a fork and steam in a colander over a pan of simmering water for 30 minutes, then halve, scoop out and roughly chop the flesh.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic and pick the thyme leaves.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic, thyme and aubergine, then crumble over the chilli and cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, then add the balsamic vinegar.
  6. Pick in most of the basil leaves, then bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced, then taste and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.
  7. Grate the Parmesan and half the Cheddar, roughly slicing the remaining Cheddar.
  8. To layer up, spread a layer of tomato sauce across the base of an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle lightly with grated cheese, cover with a layer of lasagne sheets, then repeat the layers twice more. Finish with a layer of sauce, sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and dot over the slices of Cheddar.
  9. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
  10. Pick over the remaining basil, drizzle lightly with extra virgin, then serve.

Steps:

• To prepare lasagne alla   Bolognese , start with the meat sauce. Prepare the vegetable broth and ensure to keep it warm. Then take the pancetta bacon, cut it into strips first 1 and then chop it well 2 . Separately, finely chop the carrots, onions, celery and set aside 3 .
• In a saucepan, pour a drizzle of oil and the pancetta bacon. Use a ladle to spread it well 4 and let it brown for a few minutes. Then add the chopped vegetables 5 and cook for 5-6 minutes 5 . Then add the minced meat 6 . Stir and raise the heat. Let the meat brown slowly, it must be well browned to seal the juices and be soft.
• Deglaze with red wine 7 and let it evaporate completely before adding the tomato puree 8 . The Bolognese sauce must cook for two hours. When it starts boiling again, you can add some hot broth, one or two ladles 9 , and let the sauce cook for another couple of hours at least.
• Let it cook with the lid on, without covering the pan completely 10 . Check and stir from time to time, add more broth when needed and let it cook. Now move on to the pasta. First, pour the spinach into a pan 11 , add a little water, cover with a lid 12
• and cook until they are wilted, it will take 5-6 minutes in total 13 . At this point, drain them, let them cool and squeeze them well 14 . Transfer the spinach to a mixer 15
• and blend them until you get a puree 16 . You will need to get approx 3.5 cups (100 g) of it. Now on a pastry board pour the semolina and 00 flour 17 , add the spinach and create a fountain shape. Add the lightly beaten eggs 18
• and egg yolks 19 . Begin to knead everything starting from the center 20 , this way the eggs will not slip out of the fountain. Knead well until you get a homogeneous dough 21 .
• Wrap it in plastic wrap 22 and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. In the meantime, prepare the béchamel sauce. Heat the milk in a saucepan 23 , without boiling it. In another pan, place the butter 24 and let it melt.
• Add the flour in one go 25 and cook for a few minutes until you get a golden roux 26 . Then, pour the hot milk in three times 27 , mixing well.
• Add salt and flavor with nutmeg 28 . Continue to mix until you get a creamy béchamel 29 . Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. As soon as 30 minutes have elapsed, take the dough back and take a piece 30 . Cover the rest of the dough with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
• With the help of a little semolina flatten it slightly on the pastry board to form a rectangle and roll out the dough in the machine 31 . Start from a wider thickness, then fold the dough and pass it over. When you feel it is too wet, sprinkle with a little semolina. Gradually reduce the thickness until you get a sheet just over 0.2 inches (0.5 mm) thick. Transfer it to a pastry board and cut into large rectangles 12x8 inches (30x20 cm) 32 . Continue this way until the dough is finished and in the meantime put a pot of water on the stove and add salt. When it starts to boil, immerse one sheet at a time 33 ,
• wait 30-40 seconds and using a skimmer drain it 34 . Transfer it to a tray with a cloth 35 and dab to remove excess water. Continue this way, placing the cooked sheets side by side, without overlapping them. As soon as the Bolognese sauce is ready 36 , season with salt and pepper and proceed to the composition of the lasagna.
• Take a large 12x8 inches (30x20 cm) lasagna pan and grease the bottom 37 . Add a thin layer of béchamel and one of Bolognese sauce 38 . Then place the first sheet 39 ,
• add a layer of béchamel and a layer of meat sauce 40 . Add grated Parmesan cheese 41 and place another sheet of pasta on top 42 .
• Add another layer of béchamel and one of meat sauce 43 , add grated cheese 44 and continue like this until you have 5 layers. After placing the last sheet, add the Bolognese sauce 5
• in order to completely cover the pasta sheet 46 . Sprinkle with grated cheese, add some tufts of butter 47 and bake in a preheated static oven at 338°F (170°C) for 40 minutes 48 .