Judi's Ratatouille Lasagne

Ratatouille lasagna is the best kind of fusion cooking: Provencal summer vegetables standing in where Italian lasagna usually expects ground meat. Eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and two colors of bell pepper simmer down into a chunky ratatouille that layers beautifully against ricotta and mozzarella.

The technique that separates a great ratatouille lasagna from a watery one is draining. Cook the vegetables only until they soften, about five to six minutes, then make sure the canned tomatoes are drained very well before they go in. Watery ratatouille turns lasagna into soup. That red wine splash at the end concentrates as it simmers with the lid off briefly, tightening the sauce.

The double-sauce move is what makes this recipe sing. Marinara under and around the noodles delivers acidic brightness, while the bechamel poured over the top bakes into a creamy, golden blanket. Together they cover the two flavor profiles Italians usually split between red-sauce and white-sauce lasagna.

Chef Tips

• Salt and drain the diced eggplant in a colander for 20 minutes before cooking, then blot dry. It keeps the final dish from going bitter or soggy.
• Let the assembled lasagna rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Cutting hot lasagna is how you end up with a slumped heap on the plate instead of clean layers.
• If your ricotta seems wet, drain it in a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 20 minutes before mixing with the egg. Wet ricotta means a wet center.
• Cover the pan with foil for the first 45 minutes, then uncover for the final browning. Uncovering too early dries out the noodles before the filling bubbles.

Variations

• Swap the ricotta for crumbled goat cheese mixed with cream cheese for a tangier, more Provencal filling.
• Stir a few anchovy fillets into the ratatouille while the vegetables cook. They dissolve and add savory depth without fishy flavor.
• Top with panko tossed in olive oil for the last 10 minutes of baking for a crunchy lid.