ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNA
The Complete Vegan Kitchen
For baked pasta dishes, fresh uncooked pasta sheets work well as long as you thin the tomato sauce with a little extra water. If you can't get fresh pasta, cook l pound of the dry noodles and add only 1/2 cup of water to the tomato sauce.
To test that the lasagna is heated through, insert a dinner knife into the middle of the lasagna and hold it therefor 5 to 10 seconds. If the tip of the knife isn't hot, then your lasagna isn't either. To avoid a false reading, make sure the knife isn't touching the bottom of the pan.
Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
• Salt
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch slices
• 2 medium red onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into halves and seeded
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into halves and seeded
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into halves and seeded
• Seasoned oil or plain olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices
• 2 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices
• 8 roma tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1 head broccoli, trimmed, separated into large florets, and blanched
• 3 cups Basic Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (optional)
• 3 large pasta sheets, fresh or frozen
Directions
Liberally salt both sides of the eggplant slices and place them in a colander to drain. Let stand 30 minutes. When they have released a fair amount of liquid, rinse each slice briefly under cold water and pat dry.
Preheat the broiler to high or heat a grill plate or George Foreman grill. Do not separate the onion slices into rings or they may burn. Arrange the eggplant, onions, and peppers in a single layer on baking trays lined with parchment. Brush each vegetable slice lightly with oil. Broil them for 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter. Broil the zucchini, squash, and tomatoes until they are crisp-tender. If the skins have started to pull away from the peppers or tomatoes, discard them. Broil the broccoli until it is crisp-tender. Alternatively, grill the vegetables in batches until they are crisp-tender.
Turn the oven temperature down to 350° if you are using a glass baking dish and 375° if you are using a metal one.
If any liquid has accumulated from the cooked vegetables, put it in a 1-cup measure. Add enough water to make 1 cup and mix this liquid with the tomato sauce to thin it. Mix the herbs together in a small bowl.
Generously oil a large rectangular baking dish. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the thinned tomato sauce over the bottom of the pan. Top the sauce with one sheet of pasta. Sprinkle with one-fourth the herb mixture and then spread with 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Layer half the vegetables on the pasta sheet. Sprinkle the vegetables with another fourth of the herb mixture and top with another pasta sheet. Sprinkle another fourth of the herb mixture on top of the second pasta sheet. Layer the rest of the vegetables on the pasta sheet and top with the remaining herbs. Place the last pasta sheet on top of the vegetables. Spread the last cup of tomato sauce on top of the third pasta sheet. Cover the lasagna with waxed paper and then with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes or until it is quite bubbly and heated all the way through.
|
