This is for the pasta shunners out there who still find themselves pining for a big, gooey serving of lasagna. Nothing can really replace the toothsome texture of fresh pasta, but given the amount of “bad” carbs a serving of pasta contains, it’s understandable that some choose to avoid it altogether. Thin slices of zucchini and eggplant stand in for the pasta in this lasagna, made with fat-free ricotta and low-fat marinara sauce. It all adds up to a truly delish alternative to traditional high-calorie lasagna.

　　

Ingredients

serves 5

　　1 large eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into long, thin strips (1/4-inch thick)

　　3 large portobello mushrooms, sliced thin

　　1 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into long, thin strips (1/4-inch thick)

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Nonstick olive oil spray

　　1 1/4 cups nonfat ricotta

　　3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

　　3 cups Rocco’s How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce (page 206) or store-bought low-fat marinara sauce

　　1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, such as Weight Watchers

　　

Step 1

Preheat the broiler on high. Line 3 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray them with olive oil spray.

　　

Step 2

Lay the eggplant slices, in a single layer if possible, on one of the prepared baking sheets. Lay the mushroom slices on the second prepared baking sheet, and the zucchini slices on the third sheet. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, and spray them lightly with olive oil spray. Broil each sheet of vegetables until they are slightly browned and mostly tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray, and set it aside.

　　

Step 4

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season the cheese mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 5

Spread one quarter of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay the roasted zucchini on top of the sauce, covering the bottom of the dish. Spread another quarter of the sauce over the zucchini. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the zucchini. Repeat the process with the portobello slices, another quarter of the sauce, and the remaining ricotta mixture. Top the portobellos with the eggplant slices, and spread the remaining sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top of the lasagna.

　　

Step 6

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the cheese begins to brown, another 10 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

　　

nutrition information

Step 7

Fat: 59g (before), 7.7g (after)

　　

Step 8

Calories: 1,110 (before), 262(after)

　　

Step 9

Protein: 20g

　　

Step 10

Carbohydrates: 26g

　　

Step 11

Cholesterol: 38mg

　　

Step 12

Fiber: 8g

　　

Step 13

Sodium: 760mg

　　Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.