Mozza | thebrookcook

After making a fabulous dish from this book, Flattened Chicken Thighs With Roasted Lemon Slices, I knew I had to try another. The preparation involved to make this dish was a sharp contrast to the quick-cooking chicken thighs, but I knew it would be worth every minute. Twenty cloves of garlic too! 🙂

This might be the most labor-intensive lasagna I’ve ever made, but it was certainly one of the best. The recipe was adapted from Mozza at Home: More than 150 Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for Relaxed, Family-Style Entertaining by Nancy Silverton with Carolyn Carreno. I used large eggs and substituted some reduced-fat dairy. I also omitted the olives, straining the béchamel, pre-cooking the pasta, as well as broiling the baked lasagna.

Because I used un-cooked pasta when layering my dish, I was not able to use the genius tip of cutting the lasagna prior to baking. Thankfully, I didn’t have any difficultly cutting it after it was fully cooked. Absolutely amazing!!

For the Eggplants:

2 large eggplants (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup large garlic cloves (about 20 large cloves), peeled and sliced 1/16 inch thick lengthwise (preferably on a mandoline)
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup (about 3 oz) pitted small black olives, such as Taggiasche, Nicoise, or Kalamata, optional
3 T za’atar or dried oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red chile flakes

For the Cheese Sauce:

1/2 large yellow Spanish onion, halved root to tip, peeled
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 arbol chile pod
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk (I used 2 cups whole milk & 2 cups 1 percent milk)
2 tsp coarse salt
12 ounces (3 cups) shredded low-moisture mozzarella (part-skim okay)
8 ounces (1 cup) fresh ricotta
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Pasta & Assembly:

16-ounce package dried lasagna noodles (I used DeCecco)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Prepare the Eggplant: The eggplant is roasted on the oven floor. If using an electric oven, adjust the oven racks so that one is closest to the oven floor and put a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Trim and discard the tip and stem ends of the eggplants and cut the eggplants into 1-inch cubes.
Divide the eggplant pieces between two large baking sheets. Drizzle each portion with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss and gently massage the cubes to coat the eggplant. Spread the eggplant cubes out in a single layer on the baking sheets.
Cooking one batch at a time, put one baking sheet on the oven floor or on a pizza stone on the lowest rack and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cubes are dark brown all over and beginning to lose their shape, rotating the baking sheet from front to back and moving the cubes with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time so that they don’t stick.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, season with 1 teaspoon of salt; set aside.
Repeat with the second batch of eggplant.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, season the second baking sheet or roasted eggplant cubes with 1 teaspoon of salt; set aside.
Combine the garlic and the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large Dutch oven or another large high-sided pot over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is soft and very light golden brown, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, stir to combine, and cook the tomatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, until they thicken slightly.
Spoon out and reserve 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce.
Add the roasted eggplant, olives (if using), za’atar or oregano, pepper, and red chile flakes. Stir to combine and cook until the eggplants have taken on the color of the sauce, about 5 minutes. (Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water if the sauce becomes dry or sticky.)
Turn off the heat and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.
Make the Cheese Sauce (& Béchamel): Trim and discard the root end of the onion half. Cut the onion half in half again root to tip so the onion is quartered. Slice 1/4-inch lengthwise.
Combine the butter, onion, chile pod, and bay leaves in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook, stirring often, until the butter is melted and the onion is soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the flour, whisking constantly to remove any lumps, and cook for 2 minutes to cook off the flour flavor.
Gradually add 1 cup of the milk, whisking constantly.
Increase the heat to high and cook the sauce, whisking constantly, until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute.
Add another cup of the remaining milk, whisking constantly.
Return the sauce to a boil and add the remaining 2 cups milk, whisking constantly.
Return the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, whisking or stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn off the heat and stir in the salt.
Remove and discard the chile pod and bay leaves.
With a ladle, remove 1 cup of the béchamel; set aside.
Add the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmigiano, and the eggs to the pot with the remaining béchamel and gently whisk to combine.
Adjust the oven rack so that one is in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
Assemble & Finish the Dish: Spread 1/2 cup reserved tomato sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Lay 6 half-sheets (or 3 full sheets) of lasagna on the bottom of the pan to cover it.
Add half of the tomato-eggplant sauce (about 2 1/2 cups) and spread it evenly over the pasta.
Spoon half of the cheese sauce over the sauce and spread it in an even layer to the edge and into the corners of the pan.
Lay an additional 6 half-sheets (or 3 full sheets) of pasta over the cheese sauce. Press down on the pasta sheets with the palms of your hands to remove air bubbles and to ensure that the layers are flat and even.
Spoon remaining tomato-eggplant sauce over the top; spread evenly.
Spoon remaining cheese sauce over the top; spread evenly and to the edges and corners of the pan.
Lay a final layer of pasta on top.
Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the reserved béchamel evenly over the top of the lasagna.
Sprinkle with Parmigiano.
Put the lasagna on a baking sheet and put it in the oven to bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and puffed up a bit. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time.
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour before serving.