Eggplant Lasagna

Well, I got brave again and purchase another eggplant... it is just such a foreign food for me, but so lovely and smooth and purple, that it tempts me, and I buy it... and I'm usually quite baffled to know what to do with it. However, this time, I remembered my mom mentioning that she and my Grandma had made a lasagna with one that was really good and supposedly very low in calories... going right a long with everyone's new years resolutions, right? :) So I found a recipe (from Foodnetwork.com) and thought I would give it a try. It turned out pretty good. Eggplant just has a weird flavor and texture to me that I just can't quite get past, but Doug really liked it, and the kids actually did pretty good on theirs too... enough sauce and cheese to carry you through. :) I thought it was smart to pre-cook the eggplant because I don't think it would get cooked through otherwise.

Danny Boome's Eggplant Lasagna
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (8 slices)5 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for baking dishCoarse salt and freshly ground black pepper1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms2 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese (I used a container of cottage cheese for lack of ricotta. :)
3 large eggs1 cup grated Parmesan, divided2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves2 cups Nona's Marinara Sauce (I was in a hurry and used the spaghetti sauce from a can... FOR SHAME, but this looked like a good recipe.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Saute until soft for about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked remo

ve and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.

Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 slices on top followed by the ricotta mixture. Lay another 4 slices of eggplant and finish with marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.