Lasagna Con Malanzane (lasagna W/eggplant)

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the balsamella first: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan  over
low heat. Add the flour all at once but only after the butter  has
started to froth. Mix very well (use a wooden spoon). Cook until  the
flour is completely incorporated (1-3 minutes), crushing any  lumps
which might form against the side of the pan with the wooden  spoon.
Remove the pan from the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Heat  the milk
almost to boiling in another saucepan. Return the saucepan  with the
butter & flour mixture to LOW heat. Add the hot milk all at  once. Stir
until the sauce is smooth. Add the salt once the sauce  reaches the
boiling point.. Continue cooking, stirring gently, for  another 10
minutes. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a crockery  bowl. Place a
piece of buttered wax paper over the top of the sauce  (in contact with
it) to prevent a "skin" from forming. Let cool  completely. Do not peel
the eggplants. Cut lengthwise into 3/8" thick  slices. Sprinkle with
coarse grained salt. Place the salted slices in  a dish. Cover with
another dish to weight them. Let stand for 30  minutes. Pass the
tomatoes through a food mill into a crockery bowl.  Season with
oregano, red pepper flakes and salt. Wash the capers in  cold water.
Chop finely. Add them to the tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon  to mix
thoroughly. Rinse off the eggplants with cold water. Dry with  paper
towels. Preheat the oil in the deep fryer. Prepare a serving  dish by
lining it with paper towels. Deep fry the eggplant slices, a  few at a
time, until they are golden brown. Drain in the prepared  serving dish.
Cook the lasagna according to package directions.  Drain. Preheat the
oven to 375 degrees. Once all the eggplant has  been fried, sprinkle
lightly with salt. Let stand until cool (about  20 minutes). Butter a
baking dish. Place a layer of pasta squares on  the bottom of the dish,
allowing about 1" to hang over the edges  (this layer of pasta only).
Pour 1/3 of the balsamella over. Add a  layer of eggplant slices. Pour
1/3 of the tomato sauce over. Repeat  with additional layers of pasta
(with balsamella over) and eggplant  slices (with tomato sauce over).
Top with a thin layer of bread  crumbs. Fold over the hanging edges of
the pasta. Bake for 25  minutes. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Serve
by slicing with a knife  and using a spatula to lift from the baking
pan. Posted to EAT-L  Digest 09 Oct 96  From:    Joel Ehrlich
<Joel.Ehrlich@SALATA.COM>  Date:    Wed, 9 Oct 1996 12:40:50 -0800

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