MILANESE ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNE

[Guest guest]

12 sheets of lasagne, precooked in boiling water, then drained

sliced tomatoes, to garnish

 

 

Milanese Tomato Sauce:

 

½tbsp/23ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and diced

4oz/125g field mushrooms (porcini if possible), chopped

8 basil leaves, torn into pieces

2 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

6floz/175g full-bodied red wine

2 tbsp tomato puree

14oz/2 x 425g cans chopped tomatoes

8oz/250g fresh tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped

 

Filling:

 

2tbsp/30ml extra virgin olive oil

1 large aubergine, quartered

2 large courgettes, quartered

1 large red pepper, cored, deseeded and quartered

1 large yellow pepper cored, deseeded and quartered

1 fennel bulb, quartered

4 shallots or small onions, halved

1 tbsp dried thyme or similar herb

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Cheese Sauce:

 

1 1/4 pints/750ml milk

3oz/75g butter

2oz/50g unbleached plain white flour

1 egg yolk (optional)

2oz/50g Gorgonzola, Dolcelatte or Stilton cheese, grated

2oz/50g mature vegetarian Cheddar cheese, grated

2oz/50g Mozzarella cheese, grated

½ tsp cayenne pepper

2tbsp/30ml soured cream (optional)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Make the tomato sauce well in advance.

Heat the oil in a pan, sautee the onion until soft then add the rest

of the vegetables and herbs and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the wine and cook gently to reduce by half.

Stir in the tomato puree quickly followed hy the canned and fresh

tomatoes.

Bring to the boil then gently simmer for at least 1 hour (2 hours

would be better).

Set the sauce aside to cool, then refrigerate.

 

The filling is simple to make.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil; brush each piece of vegetable

with oil and arrange on the baking sheet.

Season with dried herbs, salt and pepper.

Roast in a pre-heated oven, 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6, until cooked,

about 40-60 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

When cool, you may wish to cut the vegetables further - I prefer them

chunky myself.

 

Make the cheese sauce by warming the milk in a large heavy saucepan.

Melt the butter in another saucepan, add the flour and cook for a few

minutes without letting it colour.

Then gradually add the warmed milk, stirring constantly to keep the

mixture smooth.

When all the milk has been added let the sauce simmer very gently for

about 10 minutes.

Stir in the egg yolk, if using, cheeses and seasoning and remove from

the heat.

Add the soured cream and adjust the seasoning, it necessary.

 

To assemble the lasagne, brush the bottom of a 3 litre (5 pint)

ovenproof dish generously with olive oil.

Place 4 sheets of lasagne on the bottom of the dish and top with half

of the tomato sauce, half of the roasted vegetables and one-third of

the cheese sauce.

Top this with 4 more sheets of lasagne and repeat the process until

you have one-third of the cheese sauce left, with which to top the

remaining layer of lasagne.

Garnish with the tomato slices.

 

Place in a preheated oven, 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4 and bake for about

45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden.

Allow the lasagne to stand for 10 minutes betore serving with the

Grilled Salad and Swiss Chard.

 

 

Published by The Vegetarian Society (http://www.vegsoc.org/members/)