Triple Cheese Aubergine Lasagne Food

MARY BERRY'S MELANZANE PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease a 2.5 litre/4½ pint ovenproof dish with butter and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
• Arrange the aubergine slices in a single layer on the prepared trays. Drizzle over the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes turning the slices over halfway through the cooking time. Set aside.
• Lay the pasta sheets in a dish and cover with hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
• To make the béchamel sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and whisk for a few minutes over a high heat to form a roux. Pour the warmed milk into the roux and whisk. Bring to the boil, whisking for a few minutes until smooth. Add the mustard and two-thirds of the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Set aside.
• To make the tomato sauce, put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble, spoon a third of the tomato sauce in the base of the prepared dish, top with a third of the béchamel. Arrange a third of the aubergines on top and 3-3½ sheets of lasagne (you may need to break the lasagne into pieces to make it fit in an even layer). Repeat so you have three layers of sauce and two layers of pasta, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
• Leave to stand for 1 hour before cooking, or overnight.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden-brown and bubbling. Stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot with garlic bread.

AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA LASAGNE

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 min until golden. Add the sugar and vinegar, simmer for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and return to a simmer. Bubble for 10 mins, then remove from the heat and set aside. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and chilled.
• Heat a griddle or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brush the aubergine slices on both sides with the olive oil and season with a little salt, then griddle in batches until the slices are softened and slightly charred (ensure the heat isn't too high or the aubergine will char before it softens). Transfer the cooked slices to a plate as you go.
• To assemble, lay a third of the aubergine slices over the base of a rectangular or square gratin dish, then pour over a third of the sauce. Scatter with a small handful of both cheeses (you'll want to keep most of the cheese for the top) and half the basil, then top with half the lasagne sheets. Repeat once more, then finish with a final layer of aubergines topped with the rest of the sauce. Scatter over the remaining cheese. After leaving to cool completely, the dish can be covered and chilled for up two days or frozen for up to three months. Defrost fully before cooking.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 30 mins until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins, then scatter with the reserved basil and serve. The cooked lasagne will keep frozen for up to three months, covered with foil. Defrost thoroughly, uncover and bake as stated above. Or to cook from frozen, bake at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 40 mins. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for a further 30 mins.

TRIPLE-CHEESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• If you're a fan of salting eggplant to remove possible bitterness, proceed.
• I try to purchase the youngest, freshest eggplant I can and skip that step, finding that it actually seems to contribute to the eggplant's ability to soak up oil.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the ricotta, mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
• Mix in egg and basil.
• In a large skillet, quickly saute eggplant in 4 tablespoons.
• of olive oil, browning each side.
• Repeat with remaining eggplant slices; add more olive oil if necessary.
• In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce.
• Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
• Top eggplant with half of the cheese mixture.
• Repeat layering until all of the eggplant slices and cheese mixture are used.
• Pour the rest of the marinara sauce on top of the layered dish, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese (and some extra mozzarella, if you like).
• Bake until sauce is bubbly, about 30 to 45 minutes.