Carrette's Eggplant Casserole with Marinara Sauce, Italian Sausage, and Ricotta

Back in my grad school days at UCLA, Carrette Perkins - my bestie and classmate in the English MA program - made this casserole one day when we came by her place for dinner, and it was a hit! She was Jamaican but had a knack with Italian flavors. I don't have her exact recipe, but this is a close approximation. Carrette used Italian turkey sausage in her version, but pork sausage is a perfectly good sub. 

Ingredients:
1 lb. mild Italian pork or turkey sausage, casings removed
1 tsp. lightly toasted fennel seed
1/4 tsp. Hot pepper flakes

1 tsp. sugar
25 oz. marinara sauce (homemade or a good quality commercial variety)
1 tbsp. chopped or chiffonade fresh basil
1/4 cup sliced ripe black olives (optional)

3 medium or 2 large eggplants, sliced thinly (1/4"), crosswise or lengthwise
Salt & pepper
Garlic powder
Olive oil (or basil olive oil, for a little more flavor)

Shredded Italian cheese blend
15 oz. cottage cheese or ricotta, seasoned with 1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Saute the sausage until just cooked through, breaking up the meat with a spatula or potato masher (this is a great tool for this job); add the fennel, pepper flakes, marinara sauce, basil and olives; set aside

2. Preheat oven to 375F. 

3. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet (use two baking sheets if needed). Toss the eggplant with olive oil and season lightly on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant is soft.

4. Grease a baking pan/casserole with a bit of olive oil. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the eggplant slices. Top with some of the seasoned ricotta cheese, more sauce and a little shredded cheese. Continue until top layer has only a little sauce and a bit of shredded cheese. 

5. Cover the casserole with foil and bake 40 minutes or until heated through; remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes or until and top layer of cheese is lightly browned and melted. 

6. Serve with fresh basil as garnish.

Toss the eggplants with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until softened.

Saute the sausage until just cooked through, breaking up into small pieces with a potato masher.

Mix the black pepper with the ricotta.

Add the fennel, pepper flakes, marinara sauce, basil, and olives (if using).

Place a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the casserole (pre-sprayed with a little olive oil).

Add roasted eggplant slices in a single layer, then top with a dollop of the seasoned ricotta. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheese.

Continue layering until all the eggplant slices have been added. Top the casserole with a final ladle of sauce and shredded cheese. Cover the casserole with foil and cook 40 minutes until hot and bubbly; remove the foil and let cook another 5 minutes until the top layer of cheese is lightly browned. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.