A good vegetable lasagne is a great freezer standby and we always have one ready to throw in the oven. Delicious whether cooked on the day you make it, or frozen ahead, the addition of the basil oil gives this dish an added depth. A big favourite with the kids!
Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
Ingredients
For the ragu:
1 aubergine
2 courgettes
1 red pepper
1 large onion
2 carrots
2-3 cloves garlic
a small handful of basil leaves
a good glug of olive oil
a handful of pitted olives, halved
tin of chopped tomatoes
large teaspoon of dried oregano
For the sauce:
250ml double cream
80g Cheddar, grated
20g Parmesan, grated
teaspoon of English mustard
a pinch of nutmeg
For the basil oil:
20g fresh basil
100ml good olive oil
8-9 lasagne sheets
Method
1. Roughly dice the vegetables and finely slice the garlic.
2. Toss all the vegetables in olive oil and tip into a roasting tin. Season.
3. Scatter the basil over, and roast at 220⁰C for 30 minutes or so, or until almost tender.
4. Remove from the oven and mix the olives, tinned tomatoes and oregano through. Season to taste.
5. To make the cheese sauce, simply put the double cream, mustard, nutmeg, 60g Cheddar and 10g Parmesan into a saucepan and let the cheese melt into the cream over a low heat. Stir occasionally, season well.
6. Whizz the olive oil and basil in a food processor to make a basil oil.
7. Ladle a layer of vegetable mixture into the bottom of the lasagne dish or foil tray and cover with lasagne sheets. Brush the pasta with the basil oil.
8. Repeat a layer of vegetable mix and a layer of lasagne sheets, brushed with basil oil, until all used.
9. Pour over the cheese sauce, and scatter the remaining grated cheeses over. Finish with any remaining basil oil.
10. To eat now, bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
11. To freeze, allow the assembled lasagne to cool, then cover and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, cook at 180C for around an hour. Check the lasagne is piping hot throughout before serving.
This take on the cheese sauce, and the addition of the basil oil, was inspired a couple of years ago by a Nigel Slater recipe.
Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
Ingredients
For the ragu:
1 aubergine
2 courgettes
1 red pepper
1 large onion
2 carrots
2-3 cloves garlic
a small handful of basil leaves
a good glug of olive oil
a handful of pitted olives, halved
tin of chopped tomatoes
large teaspoon of dried oregano
For the sauce:
250ml double cream
80g Cheddar, grated
20g Parmesan, grated
teaspoon of English mustard
a pinch of nutmeg
For the basil oil:
20g fresh basil
100ml good olive oil
8-9 lasagne sheets
Method
1. Roughly dice the vegetables and finely slice the garlic.
2. Toss all the vegetables in olive oil and tip into a roasting tin. Season.
3. Scatter the basil over, and roast at 220⁰C for 30 minutes or so, or until almost tender.
4. Remove from the oven and mix the olives, tinned tomatoes and oregano through. Season to taste.
5. To make the cheese sauce, simply put the double cream, mustard, nutmeg, 60g Cheddar and 10g Parmesan into a saucepan and let the cheese melt into the cream over a low heat. Stir occasionally, season well.
6. Whizz the olive oil and basil in a food processor to make a basil oil.
7. Ladle a layer of vegetable mixture into the bottom of the lasagne dish or foil tray and cover with lasagne sheets. Brush the pasta with the basil oil.
8. Repeat a layer of vegetable mix and a layer of lasagne sheets, brushed with basil oil, until all used.
9. Pour over the cheese sauce, and scatter the remaining grated cheeses over. Finish with any remaining basil oil.
10. To eat now, bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
11. To freeze, allow the assembled lasagne to cool, then cover and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, cook at 180C for around an hour. Check the lasagne is piping hot throughout before serving.
This take on the cheese sauce, and the addition of the basil oil, was inspired a couple of years ago by a Nigel Slater recipe.