This is easy to pull together and has a rich bold flavor. As you are not frying the eggplant, but rather baking it, the overall result is much lighter than a traditional eggplant Parmesan, and saves a lot of calories.
I am a big fan of home made marinara. However, I find that if something is baked with other ingredients for a long time, the difference between a quality store-bought marinara and homemade is minimal.
As you will note in the ingredient listing, it is very easy to make this a totally vegan recipe. All you need to, is sub out the dairy ingredients for non-dairy ingredients.
Ingredients
1- 9×14 Pyrex baking dish
1 large Eggplant, firm with no soft spots.
Olive Oil
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
2 large jars Marinara, Rao\’s is very good
6 Tbsp Pesto
2 tsp Chili Flakes
2-3 cups Mozzarella or Daiya Mozzarella
1 package/tub Ricotta or Tofutti Cream Cheese
Freshly grated Parmesan or Go Veggie Parmesan
No bake Lasagna sheets
Note: You should not need any additional salt, as you will have salt from the eggplant, pesto and marinara.
Peel and slice the eggplant. Place around outside of a colander and salt on both sides, so it can sweat out any bitterness. After 30 minutes remove, pat dry and brush with olive oil and place into a 385F oven for 30 minutes. Turning, half way through the cooking time.
Mix the marinara, pesto and chili flakes together in a large bowl.
To assemble the dish, add a layer of marinara mixture to the bottom of the baking dish, add no bake lasagna sheets, then more marinara, eggplant and mozzarella and dot with ricotta. Grate parmesan over all and continue layering until the dish is about 1/4 from the top. Finish with any leftover cheese.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes in a 385F oven, remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
The Louisville Chef 