Another wonderful way to use bread—something that we always have in abundance in our house, fresh, day-old, and dried—is as an element of many savory dishes. It is used in appetizer gratinate, soups, and salads, and day-old bread is great in desserts. Here bread slices are the base and substance of a summertime vegetable lasagna, in place of pasta. I give you two versions, one with raw zucchini, one with briefly sautéed eggplant slices. Assembly and baking are the same for both. You could multiply the recipe and make this as a big party or picnic dish. It’s wonderful warm or at room temperature as a hearty side dish. To vary: use egg-battered zucchini strips (page 21) for a scrumptious lasagna; or roast the eggplant instead of frying it; or combine zucchini and eggplant (sauté zucchini slices first, though). The good flavor comes from Summer Tomato Sauce. The recipe on page 256 will give you enough for a big casserole and for several pasta dishes too. But you could use other sauces, such as a marinara or a plain tomato sauce.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8 to 12 as a side dish

　　

For the Zucchini

2 pounds firm, unblemished zucchini (6 small or 4 medium)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　

For Assembling the Lasagna

12 or so day-old slices of country bread (from a 1 1/2-pound loaf)

　　2 tablespoons soft butter, for the baking pan

　　6 cups Summer Tomato Sauce (page 256) or Anytime Tomato Primavera Sauce (page 125) or marinara sauce (page 130)

　　2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, or more to taste

　　

Recommended Equipment

A 9-by-13-inch Pyrex baking pan or a similar shallow casserole with 3-quart capacity

　　Wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil

　　

Eggplant and Country Bread Lasagna: For the Eggplant

3 1/2 pounds medium eggplants

　　About 2 cups flour, for dredging

　　1/2 cup canola oil, for frying, or more if necessary

　　1/2 teaspoon salt, or more if necessary

　　

For Assembling the Lasagna

Same ingredients as for main recipe

　　

Recommended Equipment

A 12-inch or larger skillet, non-stick preferred

　　

Step 1

Rinse and dry the zucchini, slice off the stems, and trim the blossom ends. With a sharp long-bladed knife (or a mandoline if you have one) cut very thin lengthwise slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Put them in a large bowl, sprinkle over them the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the 2 tablespoons of oil, and toss to coat the slices with the seasonings.

　　

Assembling the Lasagna

Step 2

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°. Cut the crusts off the bread slices. If they are soft and fresh, you can dry the slices briefly in the oven, but don’t let them get crisp or brown.

　　

Step 3

Butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan generously. Spread a cup of the tomato sauce in a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Cover the bottom with a single layer of bread slices. Trim the slices and cut them in pieces so they fit close together and lie flat (but you don’t have to fill every small crack or hole). Spoon about 2 cups of sauce onto the bread and spread it evenly.

　　

Step 4

Make a layer of zucchini (or sautéed eggplant), using half the slices. You can lay them crosswise or lengthwise in the pan, whichever way fits best. Overlap the slices as necessary to make an even layer that completely covers the sauce. Press down gently to condense the lasagna and make more room in the pan, then sprinkle 1 cup of grated cheese evenly over the top.

　　

Step 5

Now repeat the layering: Arrange another layer of bread slices and trimmed pieces. Cover the bread with 2 more cups of sauce, spread evenly. Lay out the rest of the zucchini (or eggplant) slices in an overlapping layer. Spread the remaining tomato sauce, about a cup, in a thin layer. Sprinkle another cup of cheese (or more!) in a generous layer over the top of the lasagna.

　　

Baking the Lasagna

Step 6

Cut a sheet of aluminum foil about 2 feet long—preferably from a wide roll of heavy-duty foil. Press the foil so it hugs the sides of the pan and bend it to make a “tent” over the lasagna that doesn’t touch the surface anywhere.

　　

Step 7

Bake the lasagna covered for about 45 minutes, giving the zucchini plenty of time to cook. Remove the pan from the oven; carefully unfold the foil from the sides of the pan and lift it off completely. Don’t get burned by the pan or the steam that is released—keep your face and hands out of the way. And don’t let the foil mess up the cheesy topping! (In a glass casserole, you should be able to see the sauce bubbling up around the sides of the pan.)

　　

Step 8

Return the lasagna to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is deep golden-brown. Let the casserole settle for a few minutes before serving (it will stay hot for some time). Cut in squares or rectangles of whatever size you like, and lift out individual pieces with an angled spatula.

　　

The Best Bread For Country Bread Lasagna

Step 9

A hearty European-style chewy wheat bread, made with all white or white and whole-grain flour, is best for these savory lasagne. Cut the slices yourself and let them dry a bit. Day-old (or briefly oven-dried) 1/2-inch slices will soak up lots of vegetable juices and give the lasagna a marvelous texture. Don’t get a skinny or low loaf with lots of crust, though—like a baguette or ciabatta—since the crust is trimmed away. Instead get a lofty bread—a large round or oval loaf—for big slices with lots of “insides.”

　　

Eggplant and Country Bread Lasagna

Step 10

Trim the stem and bottom ends of the eggplants. Peel off all the skin if it is tough, or, with tender eggplant, remove ribbons of peel in a striped pattern (see box, page 254).

　　

Step 11

With a sharp chef’s knife, cut all the eggplant lengthwise into slices, about 1/3 inch thick. Toss a few slices at a time in the flour (in a large bowl or on a tray) to coat completely on both sides; shake off the excess and pile in another bowl or tray.

　　

Step 12

Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of the canola oil into the skillet and tilt it so the entire bottom is coated with a thin film of oil. Set the pan over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.

　　

Step 13

Lay a batch of eggplant slices in the pan with plenty of space between them. You want to brown the pieces quickly, with minimal oil, so keep the heat up but don’t let the oil smoke or the vegetables burn. Fry the slices for about 2 minutes, until lightly colored on the underside, then flip them over and fry 2 minutes on the second side. Drain the slices on sheets of paper towel and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt while hot.

　　

Step 14

Brown the remaining floured eggplant in batches, adding oil to the pan as needed. Remove to paper towels and salt them right away, using about 1/2 teaspoon for all the slices.

　　

Step 15

Assemble and bake the lasagna as in the main recipe.

　　

To Salt or Not to Salt the Water

Step 16

I always used to boil vegetables in salted water. But recently I started salting certain vegetables after they were cooked, tossing them immediately after draining with medium-coarse salt, while they were still steaming hot, and I found I liked it. Does it make that much difference? Indeed it does. Instead of making a saline solution out of the boiling water that permeates the vegetable throughout, salting later allows the vegetable to retain its pure vegetable flavor, and then the sprinkled salt adds another dimension of flavor by seeping in gently while it is still hot. The vegetables that best respond to this method are string beans, broccoli, and zucchini. But I find it also true of cabbage, beets, chard, and other greens.

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.