Eggplant Lasagna

from Allrecipes.com

  Best if made a day ahead and allowed to sit in the fridge til baking. I used the ingredients for this, but made it like a lasagna, one pan with one layer of pasta and the other without. Both were good and definitely want to do again. Want to try frying. 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (maybe more or add fresh over sauce?)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 2 large eggplant, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick.
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese (tried doubling and too much, maybe 22.5 oz?)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. In a shallow mixing bowl combine 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. In a separate, shallow dish or plate, pour the flour.
3. To fry eggplant: Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mixture and fry slices 2 or 3 at a time in hot oil. Place fried slices on a paper towel lined plate to drain.To roast eggplant: Heat oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper/lightly grease it. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mixture and place on cookie sheet. May take 2 cookie sheets. Roast in oven about 20 min. (until bottom is slightly crusty) then flip and roast other side.
4. In a large bowl combine ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, remaining 1 cup Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 egg, parsley and spinach; mix well.
5. Spread about 1/3 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place one layer of roasted/fried eggplant over pasta sauce. Then place a layer of lasagna noodles if desired on top. On top of that spread a 1/2 of spinach mixture evenly. Repeat to form 2 layers of each.Pour remaining pasta sauce on top and finish with sprinkling remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 uncovered for about 40 minutes.