Lasagne is such a versatile dish. “I don’t like lasagne!”– said no-one ever! Whether it is a meat or a vegetarian lasagne, served with a crispy green salad and garlic bread, this really is a crowd pleaser of a meal.
Vegetarian lasagne ingredients
5 tbsp olive oil
2 aubergines sliced lengthways approx 1cm thick
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 red pepper sliced and de-seeded.
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g passata
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp dried Origanum
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
A handful fresh basil chopped
12 lasagne sheets (you may need 1-2 more, depending on the size of your dish)
250g ricotta cheese
300g Mozzarella cheese
400g Pecorino cheese
Sprigs of thyme leaves
Salt pepper
Prepare the grilled vegetables
Brush the aubergine on both sides with olive oil and grill until tender, set a side.
Grill the red pepper slices until the skin turns black and blisters, place in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes, allow to sweat. Once cool peel off the blistered skins and set aside.
Make the napolitana sauce
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the tins of crushed tomatoes, passata and half cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes.
Season with a generous amount of freshly ground salt and pepper, dried Origanum, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the chopped basil.
Assemble the lasagne
Place a thin layer of napolitana sauce on the base of the dish.
Place a layer of lasagne sheets down over the tomato sauce, slightly overlapping.
Place a layer of grilled aubergine on top of the pasta sheets.
Sprinkle half of the ricotta cheese over the aubergine and a good grating of pecorino.
Add a layer of lasagne sheets and a generous layer of napolitana.
Repeat the layers…
This time layering the grilled red pepper instead of the aubergine.
Add the remaining pecorino cheese and grated mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.
Take the lasagne out of the oven when done and let it rest 10 minutes, garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and serve.
