It’s time to break the rules and go rogue. This vegetarian lasagne is a fun take on a traditional lasagne, and is packed with vegetables and promotes freedom in the kitchen. Skip the layering and start scrunching!
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- Olive oil, for greasing
- 250g ricotta
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
- 50g (½ cup) parmesan, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500ml (2 cups) homemade tomato passata or store-bought passata
- 6 fresh lasagne sheets, cut into 5-cm strips
- 400g pumpkin, thinly sliced
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 small eggplant, thinly sliced
- 100g frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 150g (1 cup) mozzarella, grated
- Sea salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large casserole dish with olive oil.
- Combine the ricotta, lemon zest, oregano, parmesan and garlic in a mixing bowl and season with salt. Set aside.
- Pour half of the passata into the base of the prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
- Take the lasagne sheet strips and stand them upright in the tomato passata, scrunching them slightly to create ribbons. Alternate with the slices of pumpkin, zucchini and eggplant, also standing them upright between the lasagne sheets.
- Nestle the spinach between the lasagne and vegetables, ensuring the dish is tightly packed.
- Dollop the ricotta mixture in between the lasagne ribbons and vegetables, supporting the “walls” and adding extra flavour.
- Pour the remaining tomato passata over the top, making sure everything is evenly covered.
- Top with the mozzarella, covering the surface evenly.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving.
Hints
- Use a mandoline to achieve uniformly sliced pumpkin, zucchini and eggplant pieces.
- If making ahead, assemble the dish without baking, cover it with baking paper and store it in the fridge. Bake directly from the fridge, adding an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.
- Try adding a layer of sautéed mushrooms or sliced capsicum for additional flavour and texture.
Other recipes you may be interested in:
This is an edited extract from The Weekly Grocery Shop by Nabula El Mourid, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Rob Palmer, illustrations by Evi O Studio.
How helpful was this article?
Click on a star to rate it!
