Vegetarian lasagne

Make this with seasonal veg, summer or winter. A real crowd pleaser

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 courgettes

1 medium sized eggplant

1 red capsicum

1 yellow capsicum

1 red onion

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

250g pottle ricotta

250g pkt fresh pasta sheets

12 fresh cherry tomatoes halved

400g can chopped or crushed tomatoes

¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan

2-3 Tbsp basil pesto or fresh basil leaves (optional)

Method

To prepare vegetables wash and trim as necessary and cut into bite sized pieces making sure all vegetables are cut into similar sized pieces. You will need about 850g of prepared vegetables.

Preheat oven to 200°C (fan assisted). Put prepared vegetables into a large mixing bowl and toss through olive oil. Place vegetables in a single layer on baking trays, lined with baking paper. Wrap peeled garlic in foil and place on the tray. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Transfer vegetables back into the mixing bowl and while still hot add chopped spinach. Mash roasted garlic cloves and add to the vegetables with the balsamic vinegar. Stir to mix. Set aside to cool.

Mix through ricotta and season with salt and pepper.

Reduce oven temperature to 190°C (fan assisted).

Grease a lasagne style dish (2L capacity). Place a layer of pasta sheets in the base of the dish to cover.

Spoon over half the vegetable mixture. Top with half the cherry tomatoes. Repeat with pasta, vegetables and cherry tomatoes and finish with a layer of pasta.

Pour over chopped tomatoes and sprinkle over mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pasta is cooked and cheese melted and golden. Dollop pesto onto cooked lasagne just before serving if wished or replace with fresh basil leaves

TIPS:

Replace fresh pasta sheets with dried
For a winter vegetable lasagne replace summer vegetables with pumpkin, kumara, carrots and parsnip. Roasting time will be longer than for the summer vegetable combo. Add roasted broccoli to the mix if wished. Fresh tomatoes can be replaced with a 400g can of cherry tomatoes