Eggplant & Potato Lasagna with Vegetable Sauce

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized Eggplants, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

4-6 medium white potatoes, peeled & then sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1+ lb. 80% lean/20% fat Ground beef chuck (from Wal-Mart)

8 oz. Giorgio Baby Bella crimini mushrooms, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 green Bell Pepper, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 18 oz. can crushed tomato sauce

2 cups shredded Mozzarella

about 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Ricotta cheese

Basil seasoning, to taste

Italian seasoning, to taste

1 garlic clove chopped finely, 3 more cloves finely chopped for vegetable sauce

about 1 cup EVOO or Olive Oil

Step 1:   In a small pot, add about 3/4 cup - 1 cup of olive oil, Italian seasoning, and 1 chopped (or whole) clove of garlic. Place on the stove on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Step 2:  Slice the eggplant. Salt the eggplant. Place the salted slices on paper towels for about 15 minutes. 

Step 3:  Boil a medium-large pot of water (with salt and pepper and  vegetable oil). Peel the potatoes and then slice about 1/4-inch thick; alike to the eggplant slices. Place the slices in the boiling water and boil for ONLY about 4-5 minutes. Immediately take out the par-boiled potatoes and place in a colander. Cover slices in Cold Water to cold-shock. Let drain and DRY. 

Step 4:  Then bake for about 10-15 minutes at 425º F. Flip the eggplant slices at about 10-15 minutes. Within the two sheets of eggplant slices, switch the racking (from top to bottom). Cook for 10-15 minutes more until golden brown or crisp.

Step 5:  Prep the vegetables: celery, mushrooms, onion, 3 garlic cloves, pepper and then the tomatoes. Finely chop 

each one. Add first the celery, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and pepper. Sweat out the vegetables with a cover over the pot for about 10-25 minutes; until vegetables are tender. Then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Step 6:  In an 13-by 9-inch glass platter, layer some vegetable sauce down first. Next layer a strip of eggplant, then potatoes, then eggplant, and so on… Place the cooked hamburger down in one even layer. Top with desired amount of ricotta and shredded cheese. Place

another mixed layers of the sliced potato and eggplant. Then top with a decent amount of shredded cheese and a little basil or Italian seasoning.

Step 7:  Bake the lasagna at 425º F. for about 20 minutes.