Ingredients
Equipment
Baking Sheet
Roasting Pan For Oven
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the onion until softened, then add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms soften and their released liquid has mostly evaporated before adding the tomato sauce
- Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook briefly while stirring. Gradually whisk in the milk or unsweetened plant-based milk, then cook gently until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the nutmeg and optional vegetarian cheese. If using the egg, temper it first: whisk a little warm sauce into the beaten egg, then whisk that mixture back into the sauce off the heat.
- In a greased baking dish, layer half of the roasted eggplant, followed by the tomato mixture. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and sauce.
- Spread the béchamel evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
• Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer for roasting. Use additional trays if needed rather than piling the slices together.
• Cook off excess mushroom liquid and simmer the tomato filling until thick enough to spread between the layers.
• Add milk gradually while whisking the béchamel to prevent lumps. Use unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk if choosing that option.
• If adding the optional egg, temper it with a little warm sauce before incorporating it off the heat.
• Check that any hard cheese used is suitable for vegetarians.
• Rest the baked casserole for 10 minutes before portioning. Serve with a salad or crusty bread.