Vegetable & Goat Cheese Lasagna Al Forno
Ingredients
- 1 med eggplant (1 1/4 lbs) sliced into 1/8 inch
- 2 tbsps kosher salt
- 5/8 c extra virgin olive oil
- 3/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 med zucchini (2 cups) sliced into 1/8 inch
- 3/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 med yellow squash (1/2 lb), sliced into 1/8 inch
- 1 1/4 pound soft goat cheese at room temperature
- 3 lg eggs
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1/2 c basil chopped
- 1/4 pound lasagna noodles (9-3X7" sheets)
- 1 1/2 c oven dried tomatoes drained
- 1/4 c parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 c onion sliced
- 1 c red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 1/2 c zucchini thinly sliced
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 c canned plum tomatoes halved
- 4 med ripe tomatoes (2 lbs), cored and chopped
- 1 tbsp basil chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Serving Size: 6. Place the slices of eggplant in a colander and sprinkle both sides of each slice with 1 1/2 tsp salt. Fit a smooth-bottomed bowl into the colander; it's weight will press the eggplant to remove moisture and bitterness. After a minimum of 20 minutes, rinse the eggplant under cold water to remove the salt and pat dry between two layers of paper towel. Reserve. To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper, zucchini, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, taking care not to let the vegetables brown. Add the canned and fresh tomatoes with their juices, the basil, salt and pepper to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly, then puree the sauce in a blender or food processor. Strin the sauce to remove the tomato seeds and skin and reserve. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle evenly with pepper. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Transfer to a plate and reserve. Toss the zucchini with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper and spread out on a baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the yellow squash. If you have 3 sheets, the zucchini, eggplant and squash may be cooked simultaneously. In a large bowl, combine the goat cheese, eggs, garlic, 1/4 cup loive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth with an electric mixer or by hand with a wooden spatula. Stir in the basil and set aside. Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp salt. Cook the pasta til al dente. Drain in a colander and refresh with cold water. Transfer the pasta to a baking sheet, brushing each sheet lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking. To assemble the lasagna: lightly brush a 9 X 9 X 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of the pasta. Spread enough tomato sauce, about 2/3 cup, to cover the pasta. Arrange a layer of the eggplant atop the sauce and repeat with a layer of zucchini. With a rubber spatula, spread half the goat cheese mixture over the vegetables. Place half the oven dried tomatoes on top of the cheese. Beginning with a layer of pasta, repeat all the above steps, this time using the yellow squash in place of the zucchini. Finish with a layer of pasta and 2/3 cup tomato sauce. Reserve the remining sauce. Lower the oven to 350 degrees. Top the lasagna with the grated parmesan, cover with foil, and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the cheese browns, 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the remaining sauce and serve with the lasagna, cut into squares.
