Lasagne-less Lasagne

Can it really still be called Lasagne??

I was in Tesco the other day and saw the most spectacular looking eggplants (aubergines) that I've ever seen! So I bought a few and then had to think of a way to use them!

We were having Per over for dinner, and as he's such an avid reader of my blog, I needed to make something worthy of his commitment! (Throughout dinner Per even quoted me from my blog a fair few times, very impressive follower!!!).

I have been missing my red meat so thought that I might try and create a Lasagne, but use the eggplant in place of lasagne sheets. Which meant that aside from the tablespoon of flour used in the white sauce, this dish was grain and carb free.

I sliced the egglpants into thin long pieces and baked them in the oven for a few minutes on each side so that they were slightly crispy. I let these cool and then lined the base of my dish with them. I then put a layer of meat on top (which was made using beef mince, onion, garlic, chopped tomato, grated carrot and zucchini and some bolognaise sauce). I made a basic bechamel sauce with butter, flour, milk and cheese, which I put as my next layer. I then did another layer of eggplant and bechamel sauce. I then put a layer of pesto (which I made using the same recipe that I used for my pesto-crumbed fish). I then did a final repeated layer with the meat etc. This only needed about half an hour in oven, but allow 45 minutes in normal ovens.

It came out smelling amazing, but because of the water in the eggplant, was more sloppy (can't think of a nicer word to use) than normal lasagnes. It was slightly challenging to serve it up neatly the first time, but the second round of servings was much easier! The juices had all thickened up and the lasagne held its form far better. 

I hope Per was suitably well fed! I will post the dessert I created a bit later too...