Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 small eggplant(s) , or one large
• 1 small onion(s)
• 3 cloves garlic
• Basil, fresh or dried
• Oregano, dried
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 1 can tomatoes, chopped, approx. 400 g
• 500 g tomatoes, pureed
• e.g. lasagna sheet(s)
• 1 cup of crème fraîche, approx. 200 g
• 200 g cheese, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 55 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Wash the eggplants and cut into small cubes (approx. 5 mm x 5 mm). Peel the onion and garlic and chop them together with the fresh basil (if using). Preheat oven to 175°C (fan). Heat a little olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Briefly sauté the onions, garlic, and basil. Don’t sauté for too long, as the garlic will burn—alternatively, you can add it a little later. Add the eggplant pieces and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Be careful, as the eggplants absorb a lot of oil quickly, especially at the beginning, but they will release it later. Therefore, add a little olive oil and stir frequently to prevent them from burning, but don’t overdo it, as this will make it too oily. Then add the chopped and pureed tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Then simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with sauce, place the lasagna sheets on top – do not overlap the sheets. Repeat this process until the sauce is used up. The last layer must be sauce. Mix the crème fraîche with a little water until smooth (so that it spreads easily) and spread it on the lasagna. Spread the grated cheese on top. Bake the lasagna on the middle rack of the oven at 175°C for about 25-30 minutes. When the cheese is lightly browned, remove the lasagna and let it rest for about 15 minutes, or let it rest.