Categories: vegetables
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini, sliced very thin, length-wise (I recommend using a mandoline)
- 1 small eggplant, sliced thin into circles
- Salt, for drawing out excess water
- 8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup torn mint leaves, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup torn basil, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, plus more for topping
- 1 egg
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons flour (gluten-free, if desired)
- Pinch nutmeg
- 6 small yellow tomatoes, halved, to top
- Parmesan cheese, to top
- Drizzle olive oil
Directions
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Take the thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant and salt both sides generously. Place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Then, transfer the zucchini and eggplant to double-layered paper towels to absorb the remaining excess liquid. Let sit for another 30 minutes.
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As you wait for your vegetables to release the excess liquid, ring out and drain all excess water from your frozen spinach. Make sure you’re thorough, as excess water will make your lasagna soggy.
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After an hour total of salting the vegetables, pat and wipe them dry.
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In a moderately large bowl, combine the spinach, feta, minced garlic, ¼ cup mint, ¼ cup basil, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, and 1 egg. Mix until well combined.
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Spray an 8″ × 8″ casserole dish with non-stick spray. Layer the bottom with eggplant slices.
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Directly on top of the eggplant slices, layer the zucchini slices, overlapping them slightly. Top with the feta-spinach mixture.
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Add another eggplant layer and another zucchini layer. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Add another zucchini layer or an eggplant layer. If you have leftover vegetables, saute or roast them to serve on the side.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Make the bechamel. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Mix in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute or until thickened and golden-brown. Slowly mix in the milk, whisking constantly until well-combined, smooth and thick. Mix in a pinch of nutmeg and a dash of salt and pepper.
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Pour the bechamel on top of the lasagna. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the bechamel begins to brown.
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As the lasagna cooks, combine the yellow tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, a few small leaves of mint and basil, and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl. When lasagna is finished, remove from oven and sprinkle with the salad mixture and a bit of parmesan cheese. Let cool 10 minutes and serve.