Roast Vegetable, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna (Modified)

Submitted by Chris Wilson UK

"The ingredients list for this lasagna may look a little intimidating, but it really is quite easy to make, and so worth the the effort! This is a modified version of the recipe at: http://www.food.com/members/subm/editr2.php?sid=27675044&oc=linkback While that is a good recipe overall, the amount of white sauce is ridiculously small, and I'm not allowed to change it, so I'm submitting a new recipe instead."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 35mins
• Ingredients: 29
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• For the roast vegetable sauce

• 1 eggplants or 1 butternut squash, cubed small
• 1 courgette, cubed small
• 3 carrots, cubed small
• 2 parsnips, cubed small
• 1 cauliflower, cubed small
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and cubed small
• 1 chili pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced (optional)
• 5 tablespoons oil
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 400 ml passata or 400 ml chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

• For the ricotta and spinach layer

• 250 g ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 450 g english spinach, washed
• 200 g feta cheese
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped

• For the cheese sauce

• 50 g butter
• 50 g plain white flour
• 1 cup milk
• 150 g Mature cheddar cheese, grated
• tasty cheese, grated
• salt and black pepper

• To put it all together

• 18 lasagna sheets
• 25 g parmesan cheese, finely grated (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 180'C/350'F Grease a large baking dish. Cube the vegetables, place them in the dish, coat with 4 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until they start to soften but still have some bite.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan, add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent. Add passata (or chopped tomatoes) and herbs and simmer for 10-30 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and stir through roasted vegetables.
3. In a large bowl mash ricotta and feta cheese with a fork, and mix in the egg, nutmeg and basil. Blanch spinach in a pot of boiling water for 30 secs or until wilted. Drain and add to ricotta mixture. Leave aside.
4. For the cheese sauce melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add flour and stir until mixture becomes frothy. SLOWLY add milk, whisking as you go. Remove from heat, stir in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. Grease a large, deep baking dish. Spread half of the roast vegetable sauce over the bottom, and cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, trimming noodles to fit dish if needed.
6. Spread the ricotta mix on top, followed by another layer of noodles. Spoon over remaining roast vegetable sauce, followed by a layer of noodles. Spread the cheese sauce on top, and sprinkle with extra grated cheese and parmesan.
7. Bake at 200'C for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving, or refrigerate overnight.