Scrumpcious Eggplant Lasagna

I've only made lasagna once in my life and I butchered it terribly.  It took me a long time to muster up enough courage to attempt it again, but on a lazy Sunday with time on my side, I decided to give it another go.  This time around I had the proper tool and knowledge to finally do it right.  It came out delicious and much lighter than your usual meat lasagna. I found this recipe by Danny Boome, but modified it a bit. Most of the time eggplant is used in replacement for lasagna noodles/panels for people who are vegan or on a low/no carb diets. I just wanted to make lasagna without meat, so I figured I would use traditional lasagna noodles in conjunction with the eggplant. No meat, but the eggplant gave the lasagna a hearty and robust taste. 

Ingredients
1 box dried lasagna
6 cup water
2 large eggplants, sliced (3/4" thick length wise)
5 tbs olive oil
coarse salt & fresh ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 (15-ounce) whole milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup Parmesan (divided)
2 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
2 cup Marinara sauce (see below for recipe)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on two baking pans.
2. Brush each slice off eggplant with olive oil (approx 3 tbs of olive oil). Sprinkle salt and pepper and do the same for the other side.
3. Roast eggplant until soft and golden. Turn slices half way through (bake for about 25 mins).
4. Bring a large pot of boiling water to a rolling boil (about 6 cups).  Add a dash of salt and 6 lasagna noodles into boiling water. Cook uncovered until al dente. Drain water when done.
5. In medium skillet add remaining 2 tbs olive oil and sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic (about 5 mins until mushroom is soft). Once mushroom is cook set it aside and let it cool.
6. In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8" rectangular baking dish with oil.
7. Ladle a few spoonful of Marinara sauce in the baking dish and lay 2 pieces of lasagna side by side. Add 2 slices of eggplant on each lasagna panel. Layer on the ricotta mixture. Ladle more sauce on top of ricotta mixture. Add another layer of lasagna panels, eggplant, ricotta mixture and Marina sauce. Add the last two lasagna panel and ladle sauce to completely cover lasagna.
8. Sprinkle the remainder of the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional to add 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese).
9. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Marina Sauce

Ingredients
5 clove garlic
course salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 tbs tomato paste
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbs chopped oregano leaves
1 (28-ounce) can Roasted Crush tomatoes

Instruction
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Peel 5 cloves garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and drizzle approx 2 tablespoon olive oil. Create a leak proof pouch and roast for 25 mins directly on oven rack at 400 degrees.
3. In medium sauce pan, saute onions and carrots with the oil.  Add tomato paste and stir well. Cook off the tomato past (about 5 mins). When vegetables are soften add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and stir together until incorporated. Pour in the tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water (almost to the top, but not full)
4. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir and taste occasionally. (carrots and onions are supposed to sweeten the sauce, but if it is too tart, add 1 teaspoon of sugar).
5. Once sauce has been simmering for 1 hour and has thicken. Remove from heat and pour into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.