Eggplant Lasagna With Marinated Red Pepper And Arugula Salad
Serves: 5
Rowena Kautzer
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
50
Spice
46
Sweetness
48
Sourness
40
mins
Prep time (avg)
5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Olive Oil3 cup
White Onion (diced)1 cup
Carrot (diced)4 cloves
Garlic (thinly sliced)2 tbsps
Italian Parsley (chopped fresh)2 tsps
Sugar1 tbsp
Unsalted Butter4 cups
Breadcrumbs (day-old)1 cup
Grated Parmesan2 tsps
Granulated Garlic2 tsps
Oregano (dried)1 cup
All-Purpose Flour2 large
Egg1 cup
Shredded Mozzarella1 cup
Red Wine Vinegar1 tbsp
Brown Sugar2 cups
Arugula6 stalks
Chives (halved)Directions:
1
Special equipment: a deep fryer and an immersion blender For the marinara: Preheat the canola oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F
2
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
3
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat
4
Add the eggplant and fry until tender, 3 to 4 minutes
5
Add the onion and carrot, reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes
6
Add the garlic, Fresno peppers, basil, guanciale and parsley and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes
7
Add the tomatoes with their juices, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for an additional 10 minutes
8
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed
9
Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth and finish with the butter
10
For the seasoned breadcrumbs: Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, parsley, garlic and oregano in a shallow baking dish
11
For the eggplant: Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish
12
Whisk the eggs with 1/2 cup of water in a second shallow baking dish
13
Dredge each eggplant slice in the seasoned flour
14
Shake off any excess flour and place each slice into the egg wash
15
Once fully coated in the egg wash, dip the slices into the seasoned breadcrumbs
16
Repeat this process until all the eggplant slices are finished and fully coated
17
Cook the coated eggplant slices in the deep fryer in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side
18
Remove from the oil and pat dry
19
Line a 9- by 5-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara
20
Arrange a layer of fried eggplant slices on top of the marinara
21
Cover with another 1/2 cup of marinara, 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan
22
Repeat this process 2 more times
23
Add 1 more layer of fried eggplant slices followed by 1/2 cup of marinara
24
Use parchment paper to gently press the eggplant down into the baking dish for a snug fit
25
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
26
Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan
27
Bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes
28
Let cool slightly before serving
29
For the marinated peppers: Turn on the broiler
30
Gently toss the red and yellow bell peppers in 1 tablespoon of olive oil
31
Transfer to a roasting pan and broil until all sides are charred
32
Set aside at room temperature until cool enough to touch, about 5 minutes
33
Peel the peppers, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into large strips
34
Combine the garlic, anchovies, Calabrian chiles and the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan
35
Cook over medium high heat until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes
36
Add the red wine vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste
37
Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes
38
Remove from the heat
39
Add the roasted peppers to the saucepan and let them sit for 5 minutes
40
Remove the peppers and set aside
41
To serve: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
42
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
43
Lay the rounds of pancetta on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden, 8 to 10 minutes
44
Toss the marinated peppers with the arugula and chives in a large bowl
45
Arrange the salad on a serving platter and garnish with the pancetta and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
46
Serve with the eggplant Parmesan
47
For the marinara: Preheat the canola oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F
48
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
49
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat
50
Add the eggplant and fry until tender, 3 to 4 minutes
51
Add the onion and carrot, reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes
52
Add the garlic, Fresno peppers, basil, guanciale and parsley and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes
53
Add the tomatoes with their juices, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for an additional 10 minutes
54
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed
55
Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth and finish with the butter
56
For the seasoned breadcrumbs: Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, olive oil, parsley, garlic and oregano in a shallow baking dish
57
For the eggplant: Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish
58
Whisk the eggs with 1/2 cup of water in a second shallow baking dish
59
Dredge each eggplant slice in the seasoned flour
60
Shake off any excess flour and place each slice into the egg wash
61
Once fully coated in the egg wash, dip the slices into the seasoned breadcrumbs
62
Repeat this process until all the eggplant slices are finished and fully coated
63
Cook the coated eggplant slices in the deep fryer in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side
64
Remove from the oil and pat dry
65
Line a 9- by 5-inch baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara
66
Arrange a layer of fried eggplant slices on top of the marinara
67
Cover with another 1/2 cup of marinara, 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan
68
Repeat this process 2 more times
69
Add 1 more layer of fried eggplant slices followed by 1/2 cup of marinara
70
Use parchment paper to gently press the eggplant down into the baking dish for a snug fit
71
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
72
Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan
73
Bake until the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes
74
Let cool slightly before serving
75
For the marinated peppers: Turn on the broiler
76
Gently toss the red and yellow bell peppers in 1 tablespoon of olive oil
77
Transfer to a roasting pan and broil until all sides are charred
78
Set aside at room temperature until cool enough to touch, about 5 minutes
79
Peel the peppers, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into large strips
80
Combine the garlic, anchovies, Calabrian chiles and the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan
81
Cook over medium high heat until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes
82
Add the red wine vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste
83
Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes
84
Remove from the heat
85
Add the roasted peppers to the saucepan and let them sit for 5 minutes
86
Remove the peppers and set aside
87
To serve: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
88
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
89
Lay the rounds of pancetta on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden, 8 to 10 minutes
90
Toss the marinated peppers with the arugula and chives in a large bowl
91
Arrange the salad on a serving platter and garnish with the pancetta and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
92
Serve with the eggplant Parmesan