Spinach and eggplant lasagne stacks
Super Diet cookbook, ACP Books, $12.95
Photography by Julie Crespel
These delicious lasagne stacks use grilled eggplant slices instead of lasagne sheets, making it a lighter version of the usually heavy traditional lasagne.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 stalks celery (300g), trimmed, chopped finely
1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g beef mince
700ml bottled tomato pasta sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 medium eggplants (600g)
50g baby spinach leaves
1 cup (120g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese
cheese sauce
40g butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1½ cups (375ml) hot milk
½ cup (60g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese
METHOD
Heat oil in large saucepan; cook celery, onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add mince; cook, stirring, until meat changes colour. Add sauce and paste; bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in parsley.
Meanwhile, make cheese sauce.
Thinly slice eggplant lengthways to give 18 slices. Cook, in batches, on heated oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until browned lightly and tender.
Preheat grill.
Divide one third of the beef mixture between six heatproof plates, top each with one third of the spinach then one slice of eggplant; spoon over one third of the cheese sauce. Repeat to make three layers; sprinkle with cheese. Grill until cheese is melted and browned lightly.
Cheese sauce
Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add flour; cook, stirring, until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat; gradually stir in milk. Stir over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens. Remove sauce from heat; stir in cheese.
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