Vegetarian Moussaka

Preparation: 40 minutes Cooking: 1.5 hours Serves: 4-6 guests

12 Japanese eggplants Olive oil 2 (8-ounce) jars sun-dried tomatoes 2 pounds mixed fingerling potatoes 2 cups marinara sauce 2 cups béchamel ¾ cup lentils 1 large onion, diced ¼ cup dry Parmesan cheese ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Remove stems from eggplants and cut in half lengthwise. Take mixed fingerling potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch slices.

Sauté eggplant halves in olive oil, skin side up, until caramelized. Turn off heat and turn over eggplant halves. Let them rest in hot sauté pan. Put sun-dried tomatoes into a saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Bring tomatoes to a simmer for 5 minutes to plump and soften.

In another pan, sauté potato slices in hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove slices and drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside for later. In the same pan, add more oil and sauté diced onion in olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly brown.

In a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish sprayed with nonstick spray, add ½ cup marinara sauce to cover the bottom. Layer ½ of sliced potatoes on top of sauce. Layer ½ of eggplant halves over potatoes. Sprinkle ½ of lentils over eggplant. Add ½ of sautéed caramelized onions. Layer ½ of sun-dried tomatoes over caramelized onions. Add another ½ cup of marinara sauce over sun-dried tomatoes. Sprinkle a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper on top. Repeat layers, like for lasagna, but just once. Top it with béchamel and sprinkle with Parmesan and panko bread crumbs.

Cover dish with parchment and then foil to seal it. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes covered and then 15 more minutes uncovered to brown top. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.