Guest Chef: The Leederville Precinct’s Chris Bottega’s lasagne alla norma

Ingredients 2 large eggplants, cut into 1cm circles olive oil, for frying 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp sea salt 1 bunch basil, chopped 2 bottles pizza sauce 8 garlic gloves 2 chillies, sliced 2 tbsp capers white wine, for deglazing 1 litre milk, warmed 70g flour 100g butter 200g parmesan ½ tsp white pepper 1 tbsp salt 12 lasagne sheets, fresh 500g fresh ricotta, drained 2 cups shredded mozzarella grated parmesan, for topping Method Step 1 Shallow fry the eggplant in olive oil until golden. Place on paper towel and season with salt, pepper, dried oregano and basil. Step 2 Shallow fry the garlic and chilli in olive oil and add capers once golden. Deglaze with white wine and reduce. Step 3 Add pizza sauce and cook until reduced to three-quarters. Step 4 In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to bubble. Step 5 Slowly pour in milk. Continue to stir until all the milk is added and bring to the boil. Step 6 Reduce heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes, then finish the sauce with seasoning and 200g of parmesan. Step 7 Spread 1/4 of the sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and layer 3 sheets of pasta. Spread tomato sauce on top until the pasta sheets are covered. Evenly spread over the eggplant, ricotta, then mozzarella. Step 8 Ladle the bechamel (milk based) sauce on top, then cover with pasta sheets. Repeat the layering process another three times, depending on the lasagne sheet size. Step 9 Sprinkle parmesan on the final layer, then cover with baking paper and tin foil. Step 10 Bake for 45-60 minutes covered in the oven at 180C. Uncover and cook for a further 15 minutes, until golden. Step 11 Allow to sit for about 20 minutes, then serve with optional fresh basil and more parmesan. SERVES 6