Saturday, September 13, 2008

MILANESE ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNE

MILANESE ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNE

Try this favourite vegetarian recipe of vegetables for roasting, apart from the traditional ones of course, are aubergines, peppers, courgettes, tomatoes, onions, fennel, garlic and shallots. All sorts of lasagne are available these days. Try and make the Tomato Sauce the day before as it improves with age.

INGREDIENTS
  • 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 vegetarian red wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 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:

  • 1¼pints/750ml milk
  • 3oz/75g butter
  • 2oz/50g unbleached plain white flour
  • 1 free-range egg yolk (optional)
  • 2oz/50g vegetarian Gorgonzola, Dolcelatte or Stilton cheese, grated
  • 2oz/50g mature vegetarian Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2oz/50g vegetarian Mozzarella cheese, grated
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2tbsp/30ml soured cream (optional)
  • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Make the tomato sauce well in advance. Heat the oil in a pan, sautée 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

5. 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. And this fantastic vegetarian recipe of roasted lasagne is ready for a great feasts...nice taste indeed ! Enjoy it with friends !

Another great recipe : Chipotle-spiced-shrimp

No comments:

 

blogger templates | Make Money Online