Sunday Recipe: Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna with Fontina

A vegetarian version of a dinner classic. 

In need of some dinner inspiration? Today’s Sunday Recipe comes to us from Cara Eisenpress of Big Girls Small Kitchen, who makes this delicious vegetarian version of lasagna, perfect for serving to a family or at a gathering of friends.

Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna with Fontina

Serves 4-6

I was inspired to use this 10-inch round skillet, which of course meant some breaking up of noodles and then fitting them together into the pan’s curves. You can also use a square or rectangular baking dish – you’ll want an 8 or 9-inch square pan. When the tomatoes aren’t fresh, you can simply use plum tomatoes from a can.

Ingredients

  • About 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch-thick slices
  • 2 large zucchini, cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices
  • Kosher salt
  • 7 plum tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
  • 12 ounces whole-milk ricotta
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 6 ounces Fontina, grated
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with 1 tablespoon olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until very brown. Remove and let cool. As soon as the zucchini is in the oven, use the same bowl to toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt, making sure all slices are coated (you may need a little bit more). Place the eggplant in a single layer on another baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and browned. Set both vegetables aside.

Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Stick the tomatoes in for 1 minute, then remove with tongs and let cool on the counter top for about 5 minutes, until you can handle them. Trim them and pull off the skin (it should slide off easily; discard it), then use your fingers to break up the flesh. Place in a small bowl and combine with the minced garlic, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste the tomatoes: you want them to be very well seasoned, so add a bit more salt if necessary.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with oregano and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir to mix.

In a 10-inch round skillet, pour about 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture. Layer with noodles, breaking them to fit the pan. Top with the eggplant in one layer, then spread on half of the ricotta. Sprinkle with a quarter of the Fontina and another 1/2 cup of sauce. Repeat this pattern once, using the zucchini instead of eggplant. (That is, noodles, zucchini, the rest of the ricotta, a quarter of the fontina, 1/2 cup of sauce.) Place another layer of noodles, then dice any leftover eggplant or zucchini and sprinkle on top. Spread with the remaining sauce, then top with the remaining half of the Fontina.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and bake another 25 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Let the lasagna rest 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For March it’s all about revamping classics into healthier versions. Enjoy!

Anna Brones

Anna Brones is a food + travel writer with a love for coffee and bikes. She is the author of The Culinary Cyclist and Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Catch her weekly column, Foodie Underground.