ingredients
- 2 firm, medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- salt and pepper
- 2 firm, medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1/2 cup EVOO, plus more for brushing
- 1 head garlic
- 2 cups fresh ricotta
- 2 cups grated parmigiano-reggiano
- 1 ball mozzarella (1 lb), shredded
- 1/4 cup finely chopped mint and parsley (2 tbsp each)
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 28 ounce can san marzano tomatoes
- a few basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons grated red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 4 small baking
potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick on a mandoline
- 1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary and thyme (2 tbsp each)
directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees . Peel the eggplants, leaving on some of the skin so they look striped, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Salt and let drain on kitchen towels for 30 minutes. Slice the zucchini 1/4 inch thick on an angle; salt and let drain with the eggplant.
- Pat the eggplant and zucchini dry with a kitchen towel. Divide between 2 baking sheets, brush with EVOO and roast until slightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Peel the garlic and place the whole cloves in a small pan; cover with 1/2 cup EVOO and cook over low heat until the cloves are soft and caramel in color, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Combine the ricotta with 1 cup each parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella, the mint-parsley mixture and egg; season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup each parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella.
- Place the tomatoes and their juices in a food processor. Puree with all of the garlic cloves, 3 to 4 tbsp. of the garlic oil, the basil leaves, onion and sugar; season with salt and pepper.
- Lower the oven to 400 degrees . Spread half of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish; layer in half of the eggplant and zucchini, then dollop one-third of the ricotta mixture on top. Next, shingle half of the potatoes on top and season with salt and pepper, a sprinkling of the chopped rosemary-thyme mixture and a drizzle of the remaining garlic oil. Top with another third of the ricotta mixture. Layer with the remaining eggplant, zucchini, ricotta mixture and potatoes; season with the remaining rosemary-thyme mixture and garlic oil. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and the parmigiano-mozzarella mixture.
- Cover the lasagna with greased parchment and wrap with foil; bake on a baking sheet for 40 minutes; uncover and bake until deeply golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
