Eggplant Lasagne With Parsley Pesto Recipes

Steps:

• Make béchamel:
• Cook garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups, about 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and white pepper, then remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Cover surface of sauce with wax paper until ready to use.
• Make pesto and ricotta mixture:
• Coarsely chop 1/3 cup hazelnuts and reserve for sprinkling over lasagne.
• Purée parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2/3 cup oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and remaining cup hazelnuts in a food processor until pesto is smooth, about 1 minute.
• Whisk egg in a bowl, then stir in ricotta, 1 cup parsley pesto, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper until combined well.
• Stir together 1/4 cup pesto and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl for drizzling over lasagne.
• Roast eggplant for lasagne:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Oil 2 large baking sheets.
• Brush eggplant with oil on both sides, then arrange in 1 layer on baking sheets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake eggplant, switching position of sheets halfway through baking and turning slices over once, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes total.
• Assemble lasagne:
• Put oven rack in middle position and reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Lightly oil a 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3 quart) and line a larger shallow baking pan with foil.
• Spread 1 cup béchamel in baking dish and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Drop 1 cup ricotta mixture by spoonfuls over pasta, spreading evenly (layer will be thin), then top with 1 layer of eggplant, cutting rounds to fit if necessary. Make 1 more layer each of béchamel, pasta, ricotta, and eggplant. Spread with 1 cup béchamel and cover with remaining 3 pasta sheets. Spread remaining cup ricotta mixture over pasta, then spread ricotta with remaining cup béchamel and top with remaining eggplant in 1 layer (you may have a few slices left over). Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano over eggplant and scatter with reserved chopped hazelnuts.
• Tightly cover baking dish with oiled foil (oiled side down), then set dish in foil-lined pan (to catch drips) and bake lasagne 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
• Serve lasagne drizzled with pesto.

Steps:

• Make the pesto cashew cream cubes: In a blender, combine the cashews, olive oil, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and garlic. Blend until smooth.
• Grease an ice cube tray with nonstick spray. Spoon the pesto into the cups in the tray. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the cubes are firm, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
• Make the lasagna: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of olive oil to the pot and swirl to evenly coat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, 30 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Then, add the carrot, celery, and onion, and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to caramelize, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the wine and cook, stirring, until completely evaporated, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and garlic, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes over medium heat.
• Stir in the reserved eggplant, vegetable stock, and crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Remove the pesto cubes from the ice cube tray, and immediately distribute the frozen pesto cubes throughout the eggplant sauce.
• Using your fingers or a pair of tongs, insert the noodle pieces vertically in the sauce around the pot. Cover the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 18 minutes, then uncover the pot and use a spatula to push down the exposed noodles so they are covered in sauce. Cover and cook for 18 minutes more, until the noodles are tender.
• Uncover and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top of the lasagna. Cover again and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
• Sprinkle the lasagna with parsley and serve with garlic bread alongside.
• Enjoy!