Tom's Vegetarian Lasagna
Edit: You can find a (slightly simplified) variant of this recipe here: Talia’s Vegetarian Lasagna.
This recipie takes a long time to make, and serves about six to eight, and it’s almost perfect (the sauce needs a little work - any suggestions?)
This lasagna has three components: the filling, the sauce, and the noodles.
Ingredients:
Aside from what is in the filling below, you will need:
- 18 Lasagna noodles
- 400 g soft cheese (like a Havarti or Mozzarella)
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan
- 2 eggs
Filling:
Filling will vary by season. The following are suggested filling ingredients, divided into groups based on what preparation is required. Ingredients with a ★ are particularly good in this. I don’ have precise amounts, but this should be a lot. It’s good to have some of the the quicker items, like artichoke hearts, in reserve in case you need to top up. If you make to much, it doesn’t really matter - the filling is delicious!
No Preparation Needed:
- Fire Roasted Red Peppers, 3
- Sundried Tomatoes ★, 1/2 a jar
- Pine Nuts ★, 1/2 cup
- Artichoke Hearts ★, 1 small jar
- Kalamata Olives ★, 1/2 a jar or can
- Dried mushrooms, a handful or two
- Bell Peppers, 1
- Fresh Basil, 2 stalks
Roast:
- Eggplant, 1
- Asparagus, 1 bunch
- Garlic ★, 1/2 head
Baste with olive oil then roast these in the oven. When done, chop into 1/2 to an inch pieces
Fry:
- Onion ★, 1 1/2
- Cherry Tomatoes, 12
- Mushrooms, 1/2 lb
Fry in frying pan in a little water. When mushrooms are cooked and onions are a little past translucent, remove from heat, drain.
You can of course add other stuff, but these things work well. This completes the filling. Set it aside.
Sauce:
Take one bunch of spinach, wash, steam, puree well, and drain. Make 2 cups of Bechemel sauce, or white sauce (see white sauce recipe in this wiki). Add spinach paste and parmesan cheese to Bechemel sauce. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste. Later you will add two eggs to this, so you need this to cool slightly.
Noodles:
Boil Lasagna noodles in big pot with olive oil and salt. Remove and cool.
Putting it together:
Grate Cheese. Add 2 eggs to filling. Brush lasagna pan with olive oil. Add 1/3 of filling, top with 1/4 of sauce, and a double layer of noodles (overlapping). Put 1/4 of the cheese on the noodles. Add another 1/3 of the filling , another layer of sauce, another layer of noodles, and another 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat again, except after you have added the top layer of noodles, add another layer of sauce, 1/2 the cheese, and top with remaining filling (like half a handfull) for decoration.
Cook in the oven for 45 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve.