Lasagna is very dear to me. Béchamel. Bolognese. Homemade pasta. I haven’t made it since two Christmases ago. It was delicious, but not as magical as the layers of local ingredients when we made it in Italy. This week I felt the seasons changing. It’s the last official week of summer. So, I decided to use up all of my summer staples and to celebrate Maine’s September produce. Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions. Herbs from my garden. I used them all to make a delicious vegetarian eggplant and zucchini lasagna.

Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

Like meatloaf, I think lasagna is even better chilled and grilled. You first assemble the lasagna, cover it, and bake it for nearly an hour. Then, instead of slicing and serving, you let it firm up in the fridge overnight. Trap all that flavor inside. And the next day you slice it up when it’s firm. You grill it with a little olive oil. The exposed cheese and the sugars in the tomato sauce caramelize. The pasta layers crisp. 

Normally my dream lasagna has a ragu, or bolognese sauce. It starts with the holy trinity: onions, carrots and celery. Herbs. Tomatoes. And wine. My recipe, on a piece of paper from a cooking class in Italy, says to use white wine, not red. Which shocked me the first time. Red meat goes with red wine. You also traditionally use guanciale, or pancetta, which infuses a savory salinity and meatiness in the sauce. The ground beef soaks up the tomatoes, herbs, and wine. 

Vegetable Ragu Sauce

My goal this week with my eggplant and zucchini lasagna was to make a unctuous ragu sauce, filled with vegetables in place of meat. A celebratory stew of late summer vegetables. I was inspired last weekend by Claire Saffitz, who posted a similar late summer eggplant and zucchini lasagna recipe. I was taken aback by it. Layers of homemade pasta, sliced and grilled zucchini and eggplant, and roasted tomatoes. She made a ricotta and cheese filling that was thick and pipeable. Her grilling of the chilled slices was inspired by a famous restaurant dish. Mine by hers. 

I’m a big fan of both zucchini and eggplant. I eat eggplant parmesan often, and dream of my eggplant tikka masala when it gets cold out. I also grew up eating my mom’s cheesy zucchini discs for dinner, or grated zucchini latkes and zucchini bread with butter. Eggplant is bitter if you don’t cook it down enough. Zucchini blends in well. So instead of layering grilled purple and green slices, I decided to dice them up in a slow-cooked vegetarian bolognese. The timing was essential – I needed to cook the eggplant just enough to melt in the mouth. But it had to have enough bite to stand up to the sauce and the pasta layers. 

The End of Summer Produce

I thought of my eggplant and zucchini lasagna all week. I hesitated to visit the farm stand and start my recipe, simply because I had other things to do. So when Thursday came, farmers market day, I sprang out of bed and drove into town. My canvas grocery bag from Florence in tow. I did my normal peruse. You know the drill. Big yellow dogs on the corner with the vegetable stand. Fresh flowers. Picked-over baked good stands. Vinegar. The chicken man. And the cornucopia of fresh Maine produce. A rainbow of vegetables and fruits.

I felt a little somber knowing that there are only a few weeks left. The market will be a dying dew-dropped lawn soon over a frozen October ground. I drove to the farm stand next and parked next to the new pumpkin patch. I’ve been gone for most of fall the last two years, so I’m incredibly excited to see the leaves change. I have big plans to drive a while and take myself to the movies. Or to Beth’s, with the corn maze, pumpkins, and hay barrels. Fresh apple cider donuts and wool coats. 

Buying Vegetables

I entered the farm stand. The locals were frantically planning their summer meals before it’s too late. Buying the last berries and tomatoes and zucchinis before pumpkins and apples take over. There were a few new boxes of apple varieties. I thought I missed the zucchini entirely, but it was in a cooler at the front. I picked up a fat purple eggplant and two long, verdant zucchinis. Along with a softball of a white onion. I had tomatoes and basil at home. So I paid, exchanged some “have a good days”, and drove home listening to Gracie Abrams. 

To make matters worse, the crown jewel of my summer, a proud, regal sunflower, which I grew by hand, is no more. Taken by the cruelty of hungry wild animals. That flower brightened all of my days lately. So when I noticed it was decapitated, the yellow petals scattered like a crime scene, I knew summer was officially over. My eggplant and zucchini lasagna had to be packed with summer to compensate. I plucked my ingredients out of my bag, placed them on the counter, and picked some basil. I also gathered the cherry tomatoes I’d been waiting to cook, from my aunt’s garden.

Lasagna Mise en Place

The sauce needed to chill before layering over my pasta sheets. So I put on music, opened the slider door to a warm, breezy day, and got chopping. First I peeled my eggplant, my zucchinis, and my onion. I got into a nice meditative groove, pretending to prepare for an extravagant night of fine dining at my own garden-side restaurant. I wore my new favorite pants, embroidered with little lobsters, from my mom for my 30th birthday. My vegetables lined up in rows to be cut. And I chopped a mountain of green and purple squares. I also sliced onion in long strands, like I do for French onion soup. 

My favorite part came next. Flipping the heat on my stainless steel pan. Melting butter with a little olive oil and fresh garlic. Once it was fragrant and filled the house with the scent of Italy, I added my onions. They cooked down quickly, halfway to caramelized, before I added my cubed vegetables. I turned the heat up to get them sweating. And they cooked down after about 10 minutes into a vibrant sauce. I added tomato paste and deglazed the pan with white wine. Stirred it all up. And I chopped my oregano and basil to add. 

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I forgot to mention that I also roasted my cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt. They were starting to burst, so I took them out of the oven in their sheet tray and poured them, liquid and all, into the vegetables. I added a little more liquid (the end of the white wine bottle and the but of a stock box) to thin it out. I flipped the heat down to 3 and let it simmer for a good while. Like we did back in Empoli with our bolognese sauce. The smell of garlic, onion, sautéed vegetables, and roasted tomatoes filled the kitchen as I ate lunch and relaxed. 

Next I tackled my pasta dough. This time I wanted to make egg yolk dough. Simply for the strength and the color. Sunshine yellow for summer. I saved my egg whites in a bowl in the fridge for another day. Maybe for a meringue frosting or a fluffy cake. Or for breakfast scrambles. I mixed my yolks into the flour with a chopstick and watched it turn into a thick mountain of yellow sand. After a quick knead, it gathered into a ball. I spent the next 10 minutes pushing and pulling my dough on the counter, putting my whole weight into it. 

Basil Béchamel

I like to make a pretty firm dough. Especially for lasagna, because it holds up well to the layers of moist tomato sauce and béchamel. I also like a bit of bite and texture in my pasta. When I was happy with it I gave it a poke and wrapped it in plastic. My sauce was nearly done then, so I switched off the heat and gave it a mix. Then, I spooned it onto a large baking sheet. Not poured, because it was nice and thick. You don’t want a lasagna filling to be too wet. I placed my filling in the fridge to chill for a while and moved onto my béchamel sauce. 

A basil béchamel would complement the summer flavors in my eggplant and zucchini lasagna. I pondered a few different ways to infuse the basil in the sauce. But ultimately I opted to blend it with butter before making my roux. Probably not the best idea, in retrospect, but no recipe is perfect. Next time I’ll add it at the end and blend it up. When my butter and flour thickened I poured in heavy cream, light cream, and a little water, because I didn’t have whole milk. It was too thick, so I added more cream and whisked away until it was perfect. 

Egg Yolk Pasta Dough

It had a slight tinge of green to it, which was beautiful. Next time I want to add more basil. So I decided to add some to the lasagna itself, too. And I cooked my béchamel further than I normally would to get it nice and thick. Like a ricotta filling. I took it off the heat, added some salt and parmesan, and tasted it. That too got spooned into a bowl to chill for a bit. I was exhausted already. But I forged on after my pasta dough rested. I cut it into quarters and sprinkled my counter with flour. Attached my pasta machine to the edge. Which is still unbearably squeaky. 

I delighted in rolling out my pasta layers to thickness 6, my go-to, without having to cut or shape or fill them. Just flat, even sheets. I layered them on my cutting board while I rolled the other pieces, and soon I had a pile of pasta to sculpt my eggplant and zucchini lasagna. Finally I gathered my components, which were all done. My chilled vegetable ragu. Basil bechamel. Basil, salt, parmesan, and lasagna sheets. Normally you would boil lasagna before assembling. Which you are welcome to do. Last time I did, my lasagna was a little soft. The one we made in Italy was perfect. Incredible. And we forgot to boil the pasta. 

Baking My Lasagna

It had an incredible al-dente, toothsome feel. The edges were crisp, like fried ravioli. I loved it. And, since this recipe is cooked twice, the sheets don’t need to be par-boiled. So I carried on, assembling my layers. I started by oiling my pan and draping large pasta sheets on the bottom and sides to create a shell. My first layer after that was my zucchini and eggplant sauce. Then I spread on a dollop of béchamel, which I seasoned with salt and more parmesan. I also added some basil leaves for flavor. Next, another pasta sheet, and 6 or so layers in total when I was done. I folded the overhanging layers over the top and pressed it all into a brick. 

All that was left to do that day was bake it. I covered it in tin foil and baked it on a baking sheet, just to be safe, for 40 minutes. When it came out piping hot, I let it rest on the counter, went for a walk, and eventually put it in the fridge to chill overnight. The next day was much easier because all I had to do was slice and serve. It reminded me of my potato pave. How excited I was to slice it and fry them. This time was no different. My lasagna came out of the pan easily. It had firmed up with the cold. And I sliced 8 perfect, even pieces, ready to grill. My favorite pieces were the ends with extra pasta. 

Crispy Grilled Lasagna Slices

I fired up the griddle outside in the sun. It was an unusually hot day for late summer, which felt so fitting for my celebration. I oiled the grill and carefully placed my lasagna bricks on the black iron. I froze them for a few minutes first to firm them up more. Then I grilled them, watching the edges sizzle and simmer with bubbles of béchamel. And I flipped them after a few minutes, marveling at the caramelized, golden brown crust on top of the exposed layers. It was lunch time, so I couldn’t wait to try it. 

After my photos and grill cleaning, I sat down at the dinner table with my heavy black plate and a fork and knife. Basil for garnish. It felt like I was at a fine dining restaurant. I hoped it would taste as good as the prodigal lasagna in Italy, but with a more fresh, light, and summery flavor profile. My first bite was of a peeling-off layer of crisp pasta. Then I cut a bite with several layers of pasta, béchamel, and vegetable sauce. It held up well. All together it was creamy, fresh, and tasted like pasta alla Norma. The eggplant was soft yet slightly firm and retained its earthy flavor. It had pieces of burst cherry tomatoes, too, floating throughout, and strings of caramelized onions. 

Goodbye Summer

The béchamel and basil add so much too, complementing the acidity and bitterness of the ragu. The pasta reminded me of the layers in Italy because they weren’t par-cooked. Again, it sounds strange, but I find something magical and delightful about raw pasta in lasagna, which gently cooks and crisps in the oven and on the grill. I can’t wait to try an edge piece with even more pasta. A touch of good olive oil and salt takes this delicious eggplant and zucchini lasagna to a gourmet level, too. I would happily serve this in a restaurant. 

It’s a lot of work. I won’t lie. But summer is so special. I wanted to honor it and remember it with this recipe. To celebrate the acidity of tomatoes, the bitter freshness of eggplant and zucchini. And I always love a good pasta dish. The process reminded me fondly of Italy. My weekly trips to the farmers market. And it was the perfect send off to the fresh produce I adore this time of year. I can’t wait to start diving into fall flavors next week. Cinnamon. Pumpkin. Apple. Halloween and Thanksgiving will be here in a flash. I will treasure and appreciate this fall at home. 

Thank you for reading! Be sure to check out my Etsy for 100’s of recipe cards and art prints. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. 

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Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

A layered Italian classic with a vegetarian zucchini/eggplant sauce with basil béchamel

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword eggplant, lasagna, pasta recipes, zucchini

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 medium eggplant peeled and diced
• 2 small zucchinis peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 Parmesan rinds optional
• 2 tbsp Fresh oregano chopped
• 1 1/2 cups 00 flour
• 4 egg yolks + 2 whole eggs
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp AP flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Place cherry tomatoes on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkled with a pinch of salt.
• Bake tomatoes for 10-15 minutes until juicy and beginning to burst. Remove from oven.
• Add a your onion, diced or thinly sliced, and chopped garlic to the sauté pan. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add eggplant and zucchini and turn heat up to medium-high. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon while cooking, 5-10 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, white wine, parmesan rinds if you have them, and oregano. Stir to combine.
• Lower heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Add 1/4 cup of water or vegetable stock at a time if your sauce begins to thicken too much or burn, and lower heat further.
• In the meantime, make pasta dough by placing 00 flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center for the egg yolks.
• Add your 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs to the flour well. Stir gradually with a chopstick or fork until combined. Then transfer to a clean work surface and knead until a dough forms.
• Knead dough for 10 minutes until firm and elastic. It should be vividly yellow.
• Wrap with plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• To make béchamel, melt butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan or sauce pan. Season with a pinch of salt and add AP flour, whisking to combine.
• Cook roux for 3-4 minutes until it begins to slightly darken in color (golden brown). Gradually add your whole milk, whisking constantly, until a you have a thin white sauce.
• Cook for 5-10 minutes, whisking constantly, until the béchamel thickens into the consistency of thick pastry cream, or ricotta.
• Remove from heat and chill. Then, blend in a food processor or blender with the fresh basil. Chill until ready to assemble.
• Once the vegetable and tomato sauce is thick and flavorful, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or baking sheet. Chill quickly in the freezer in a thin layer, or in the fridge if you have time to wait.
• To assemble the lasagna, lightly oil a large loaf pan and set aside. Adjust a pasta roller to the widest setting and remove pasta dough from fridge.
• Cut dough into 4 equal triangles and one at a time, roll each through the pasta machine, flouring lightly. Start on the thickest setting and gradually pass the pasta through again until you achieve a thin pasta sheet that you can see your hands through (setting 6).
• Flour your pasta sheets lightly and place on a cutting board until ready. Then, cut your first sheet to cover the bottom of the loaf pan. Then, cut pieces to cover the walls of your loaf pan, too.
• Place a thin layer of tomato sauce over your first and bottom pasta sheet (about 1/3 cup). Spread evenly, then spread a thin layer of béchamel on top (about 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp).
• Season with salt and pepper and add a sprinkle of parmesan and fresh chopped basil. Then, top with your next pasta sheet, cutting to fit in the pan. Repeat until all layers are formed and all pasta is used.
• Once lasagna is assembled, fold the overhang over the top, and finish with one last pasta sheet to cover.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover loaf pan with plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet. Then, cook lasagna, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool. Then, chill fully in the fridge (at least 4 hours or overnight).
• The next day, remove lasagna from loaf pan and slice into 8 equal pieces. Grease a cast-iron skillet or griddle and cook each piece on medium heat until caramelized on both sides.
• Serve warm with fresh basil, olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt on top.

Notes

• You can optionally boil your pasta sheets before assembling the lasagna. I like mine more al dente and crispy. 
• Use whatever Italian herbs you have on hand to flavor your sauce.  Make sure to also season with plenty of salt and pepper to taste!