Summer lasagna with eggplant

Ingredients:

Lasagna

• 450 g of lasagna pasta
• 1 eggplant
• 2 eggs, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
• 1.5 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp. l. dried oregano
• 2 tbsp. l. dried parsley
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 30 g butter
• Olive oil for frying
• 450 gr. mozzarella cheese, cubed or grated
• Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved and tossed with vinaigrette (recipe included), for garnish

Vinaigrette sauce

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil
• No more than 1/4 cup chopped peppadew pepper
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed with a press
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• 1/2 cup basil

Preparation:

1. Peel the eggplant, cut into slices, place in a colander, and season with salt. Cover with paper towels and place under a weight, such as a kettle of water. Let it sit under the weight for an hour to allow the liquid to drain. This step is necessary to remove the bitterness..
2. Bread the eggplants, first dipping in the egg, then rolling in breadcrumbs, mixed with salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and garlic powder.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan to 180°C. Add a little butter for flavor and fry the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
4. Make a vinaigrette with red wine vinegar., olive oil, chopped peppadew peppers, sugar, oregano, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chop the mint and parsley.
5. Pour 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette into the bottom of a deep bowl. Layer the eggplant slices, sprinkling each layer with mint and parsley, and seasoning with vinaigrette. Drizzle the top layer generously with the sauce, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. Boil the lasagna pasta in salted water with a little olive oil to prevent it from sticking.
7. In a beautiful serving dish, layer the marinated eggplant, then a layer of pasta, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, basil, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Repeat several times, finishing with a cheese layer. Bake in the oven at 200°C (400°F) until the cheese is melted. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve this summer version of lasagna at room temperature.