Eggplant & Beef Lasagna with Spinach

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

For the Meat & Eggplant Filling:

• 200 g minced meat (ground beef)

• 3 eggplants (diced)

• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)

• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)

• 1 tomato (diced)

• 1 banana pepper / çarliston (finely chopped)

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Spices: 1 tsp each of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin (Note: A handful of fresh spinach leaves added between the layers works beautifully with this flavor profile!)

For the Whole Wheat Béchamel Sauce:

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 4 tbsp whole wheat flour

• 1 liter milk

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg (optional)

• 1 sprig of fresh thyme

For the Layers & Topping:

• 15-18 lasagna sheets

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Turkish kaşar cheese

Instructions

1. Sauté the Filling: In a large skillet, brown the minced meat. Add the olive oil along with the finely chopped onion, garlic, tomato, pepper, and tomato paste. Sauté until the vegetables soften.

2. Cook the Eggplants: Add the diced eggplants and all the spices to the skillet. Cover with a lid and let it simmer on low heat until the eggplants are fully tender and cooked through.

3. Make the Béchamel: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the whole wheat flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Toss in the sprig of fresh thyme. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Remove the thyme sprig, and season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Assemble the Lasagna: Lightly grease your baking dish and spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce at the bottom. Arrange a layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat the layers by adding lasagna sheets, béchamel, the eggplant-meat filling (and fresh spinach leaves if desired). Cover the final top layer with the remaining béchamel and a generous blanket of shredded cheese.

5. Bake (Stage 1): Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Cover the baking dish first with parchment paper, and then securely wrap it with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes to allow the sheets to steam and soften.

6. Broil (Stage 2): Remove the foil and parchment paper. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F). Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese topping is bubbly, puffed, and beautifully golden brown.

7. Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes out of the oven before slicing. This helps the layers set perfectly for clean, gorgeous slices.