Eggplant Lasagna - YEAH or NAY

If you have been following me here on my blog or on facebook... you have heard that we planted eggplants this year and they GREW!  We only planted 2 plants but they were plentiful and eggplants is something that you can't giveaway to everyone.

  I like eggplants but my husband isn't that keen... although he will eat some of what I make.  I have been trying to come up with new recipes to use them up...
I might have to do some more working on this recipe... It had lots of flavour, but I am not sure about the eggplant... I am thinking I should have cooked it just a little bit before I put it into the lasagna as it still was a little bit tough.  If anyone has any suggestions, please, please leave me a comment.

Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

3 small eggplants - sliced in thin slices

salt

1/3 cup onions diced

1 lb ground turkey - you could also use ground beef you like

1 garlic clove diced

1 jar pasta sauce or marinara sauce - 15 oz

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1 15 oz ricotta cheese

1 tbsp parsley

1 egg 

2 cups mozzarella cheese - shredded

parmesan cheese  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Slice eggplants and sprinkle salt on them and let sit while turkey mixture is cooking.  Prior to using, rinse off salt and dry eggplant slices.

In saucepan, cook ground turkey until no longer pink, add onions and garlic and cook until both are translucence.  Add pasta or marinara sauce and italian seasoning.  Continue to cook for approximately 10 minutes.  In separate bowl mix ricotta cheese, egg and parsley.  

Start layering lasagna, first with turkey mixture,  eggplant slices, ricotta cheese mixture and then mozzarella cheese.  Continue to layer for 2 -3 layers, depending on your sauce.  I like to end with meat mixture and mozzarella.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over top.  Bake for 1 hour in 350 degree oven.

* my layers are meat mixture, eggplant, ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, meat mixture, eggplant, ricotta cheese, meat mixture, mozzarella cheese and then parmesan cheese.

* the first time I ate it, my lasagna was more like a soup as there was a lot of liquid, after serving it I tried to get rid of some of the liquid and put it in the refrigerator.. The second time we ate it, the lasagna looked like lasagna and had no extra liquid in it.  I am not sure if cooking the eggplants in the oven for 20 minutes would help this or not.  I think the next time I make it I will try that.    

Ingredients.  I received the Mia's Kitchen Bistro Marinara from my
September Foodie PenPal

Getting ready for my layering 

ready to go in the oven

Doesn't look much like lasagna but tastes very good.

Looks more like a lasagna the second time we ate it.

For me the eggplant lasagna was a YEAH! I really enjoyed it even though the first time I ate it looked more like a soup or sauce and the eggplants had to be cut by a knife.  My husband thoughts were not quite a NAY but not sure if he will eat it again.. he did have it the second time but I ate it totally 3 times :).  So for you is it YEAH or NAY!