Lasagna Vegetariana

First, prepare the pasta dough. Start by taking a large pot and add the water and bring it to a boil. Next add the flour, salt and olive oil, stirring constantly to form a smooth dough. Next add the eggs one-by-one until blended. Next turn onto a floured surface and kneed briefly, adding additional flour as needed. Cover and allow to rest for about 1 hour. Roll out the pasta into thin sheets using a rolling pin or pasta machine, then cut into squares. Bring salted water to a boil and cook the sheets al dente.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Next add the onions, celery andcarrots and sauté over a medium heat until the vegetables begin to brown. Add the tomatoes orthe tomato sauce and let it simmer. Next reduce heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes or more. The sauce will thicken. Add torn fresh basil and salt to taste.

Peel the eggplant and cut into small cubes. Mix with a generous pinch of salt and let sit for 15 to 20minutes. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Fry the eggplant in hot sunflower or seed oil until golden and drain on paper towel to remove excess oil.

In individual baking dishes (or 1 large baking pan), spoon a little vegetable sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Then place a sheet of pasta over it. Add a teaspoon of Ricotta or Mozzarella cheese, basil, eggplant over the pasta spacing about½inches apart. Then lay another sheet of pasta. Repeat the process 3 times. Finish with a little spoon of sauce spread on the top, and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and several leaves of fresh basil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180° C(approximately 360°F) until the cheese is melted and lightly golden on top, for about 15minutes.

Serve with additional grated Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh Basil on top, as desired.