Recipe Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the plum tomatoes on 2 layers of paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper and let drain. Slice the
Summer Vegetable and Country Bread Lasagna Lasagna con verdure di stagione e pane casereccio
ends from the zucchini and with a sharp knife or mandoline, cut lengthwise into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Toss the zucchini in a large bowl with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. With a vegetable peeler, remove lengthwise strips from the eggplants to make stripes. Cut off the stems and slice the eggplants lengthwise into
Yield Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients 4 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound medium zucchini (about 2 or 3) Vegetable oil, for browning the eggplant 2 small Italian eggplants (about 1 ¼ pounds) 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil All-purpose flour, for dredging 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ½ cup chopped fresh basil 6 cups tomato sauce 12 or so slices of day-old country bread 2 cups grated Grana Padano
⅛-inch thick slices. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add about ½ inch of vegetable oil. Spread the flour on a plate. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and pan-fry, in batches, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Spread a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with the softened butter. Stir the basil into the tomato sauce. Spread a cup of sauce in the bottom of the dish. Cover the bottom with a flat layer of bread slices. Spread 2 cups of sauce on the bread. Layer half of the vegetable slices over. Press the layer down, then sprinkle with 1 cup of the grated cheese. Arrange a second and final layer of bread and cover with 2 cups of sauce. Lay the remaining vegetables over in an even layer, overlapping if needed. Spread with the remaining tomato sauce, then sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Tent the baking dish with foil and seal tightly around the edges. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly and the top is a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Let sit at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
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