Roast Vegetable Lasagne
Serves 6 - Wheat free/Dairy free/Egg free/Vegetarian
Ingredients for the Filling
- 2 cloves garlic, left whole
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 heads fennel, trimmed, cut into large wedges
- 1 red, 1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and cut into chunks
- 2 large courgettes, trimmed and cut into thick slices
- a few sprigs of thyme or a good teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
- 90g/3oz red lentils
Ingredients for the Cheese Sauce
- 60g/2oz dairy free soya spread
- 30g/1oz wheat free flour mixed with 30g/1oz pure cornflour
- 1 level teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 litre/1¾ Pints organic dairy free soya milk
- 30g/1oz dairy free cheddar style cheese, grated
- salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
Set the oven to moderately hot, Gas Mark 5 or 190°C.
To make the filling
Set the oven to hot, Gas Mark 7 or 220C. Mix all the vegetables in a large roasting tin with the herbs, oil and plenty of seasoning. Roast for about 25 minutes, then turn them and roast for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the vegetable bouillon in 550ml/18 fl oz boiling water. Add the lentils and leave them to soak for 30 minutes.
Squeeze roasted garlic on to roasted vegetables. Stir soaked lentils and stock into roasting tin.
To make the sauce
Melt the spread in a saucepan, add the flour, cornflour and mustard, cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in soya milk, a little at a time. Stir in cheese, bring to the boil and boil for a few minutes. It doesn't make a very smooth sauce - whisk it well, but don't worry too much about the lumps. Season with salt pepper and nutmeg.
Spread a third of lentil, vegetable and stock mixture over the base of a large ovenproof dish. Cover with 4-5 sheets or a layer of lasagne and spread half the cheese sauce over the top. Cover with another third of the lentil/vegetable mix, another layer of pasta, the last of the lentils/vegetables, then rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes until browned. Leave for 10 minutes to settle before serving. Serve with green vegetables or salad.
This recipe can be varied to suit you, by using normal cheese if dairy is not a problem or normal pasta if wheat not a problem, just substitute whatever your requirements are.
If you want to freeze the lasagne, freeze before cooking. Layer it up as above and cool. Wrap well and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Cook as above but for an hour.