James Martin’s Aubergine Lasagne isn’t polite food. It’s messy, rich, satisfying in a way that makes you forget your phone for a while.
You fry fat slices of aubergine till they sigh and collapse. You pile them with sauce that smells like summer getting crushed into a pot. You drown everything in a creamy, clove-spiked white sauce, blanket it in cheese, and bake until it blisters and bubbles.
It’s the sort of food you make when it’s raining sideways outside, when you need something solid under your ribs, something that makes you close your eyes for a second after the first bite.
Why You’ll Love It
- That molten, oozing first forkful. Cheese stretching, sauce dripping, aubergine soft as butter.
- It’s proper cooking—nothing fiddly, but it still feels like you’ve done something impressive.
- The smell when the basil hits the hot tomato sauce. Almost enough on its own.
- It feeds six, but you’ll wish you made double.
- Comfort food that doesn’t taste beige or boring. It roars off the plate.
Ingredients
Aubergines: big and heavy. Slice thick so they hold their ground.
Olive oil: the good stuff. You’ll taste it.
Chopped tomatoes: two cans, the sweeter the better.
Garlic: smashed and minced.
Basil: loads, ripped straight into the sauce.
Onion, cloves, bay leaf: building real flavor into your white sauce.
Butter and flour: for the roux that thickens it all.
Milk and double cream: for richness.
Lasagne sheets: dried or fresh, whatever you’ve got.
Cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan: one to melt, one to stretch, one to punch you in the mouth.
How to Make Hairy Bikers’ Vegetarian Sausage Casserole
(Still James Martin’s Aubergine Lasagne here — keeping your title for structure.)
- Set your oven to 200°C. Get serious.
- Slice those aubergines thick. Fry in hot olive oil till golden on both sides. Season hard. Drain them off.
- In another pan, throw in tomatoes, garlic, a slug of olive oil. Simmer it low and slow for half an hour. Should smell heady, rich.
- Tear in basil by hand. No knives. Just rip and scatter.
- In a small pot, warm milk and cream with onion, cloves, bay leaf. Gentle heat only. Keep it from boiling or you’ll split it.
- Melt butter in another pan. Stir in flour. Cook till it smells like biscuits just starting to burn.
- Strain your hot milk into the butter-flour paste. Whisk like you mean it. Simmer till thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Build the lasagne: tomato sauce first, then aubergine, then pasta, then white sauce, then cheese. Repeat till you’ve used it up. Finish heavy on the cheese.
- Bake 30 minutes until it’s bubbling, golden, almost shouting at you from the oven.
- Rest for 10 minutes after baking. Don’t skip this. It sets everything.
Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them
- Skipping the salting and draining: Aubergines hold water like sponges. You don’t salt and drain? You get watery, soggy sadness.
- Letting white sauce boil: Split, grainy, and unsaveable. Keep it low and slow.
- Stacking it all too fast: If your sauces are too hot or runny, the whole thing collapses. Give them a few minutes.
- Underbaking: You want angry bubbles around the edges and a top that’s nearly scorched in spots.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Seal up leftovers tight. They’ll keep 3 to 5 days and taste better by day two.
Freezer: Wrap slices individually. Freeze up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge—don’t cheat.
Reheating: Oven first (175°C/350°F). Cover for the first 15 minutes, uncover to crisp up. Microwave works, but expect a slightly sadder top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you stop aubergine lasagne from being watery?
A: Salt those aubergines like they owe you money. Sit them in a colander for at least 30 minutes.
Q: Why won’t my lasagne stay together when I cut it?
A: Could be you didn’t let it rest. Or you used paper-thin aubergine slices. Or both.
Q: How can I tell it’s done?
A: Look for wild, bubbling edges, a golden blistered top, and pasta sheets you can stab through easily.
Q: Can you freeze aubergine lasagne?
A: Yes. And you should. You’ll thank yourself later.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 453
Fat: 29g
Carbs: 24g
Protein: 25g
Sodium: 700mg
Sugar: 9g
Try More James Martin Recipes:
James Martin Aubergine Lasagne
Description
James Martin’s Aubergine Lasagne is serious British comfort: layers of smoky fried aubergines, slow-simmered garlic tomato sauce, silky white sauce rich with bay and clove, and enough molten cheese to make you forget the weather outside. Every bite’s a mix of softness, sharpness, and soul.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Slice aubergines thick. Fry hard in olive oil until golden and floppy. Season well. Drain on paper towels.
- Simmer chopped tomatoes with garlic and olive oil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Tear in basil once thickened and glossy.
- In a small saucepan, gently heat milk and cream with onion, cloves, and bay leaf. Do not let it boil—catch it before bubbles.
- In a separate pan, melt butter, stir in flour, and cook it two minutes until it smells nutty, not raw.
- Strain the hot milk mixture into the butter-flour roux. Whisk properly. Simmer till silky and thick.
- In a big oven dish, layer: tomato sauce first, then aubergine, pasta, white sauce. Repeat layers. Finish with a heavy scatter of cheeses on top.
- Bake 30 minutes until wildly bubbling and golden with some dark blistered spots.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving—helps it hold together and taste deeper.
Notes
- Slice aubergines thick so they survive the frying pan without turning to mush.
- Salt and drain the aubergine slices for at least 30 minutes before frying if you want to avoid watery lasagne.
- Never let the milk boil while making the white sauce or it’ll split and lose that silky texture.
- Build your layers with intention: don’t rush. The more careful the layering, the more satisfying the final cut.