VEGETARIAN LASAGNA | Easy Vegetable Lasagna

• • Prep Time
  • 20 Minutes
• • Cook Time
  • 60 Minutes
• • Difficulty Level
  Moderate

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Vegetarian lasagna is an alternative to the traditional meat filled version and it’s still jam-packed with flavour! My vegetarian lasagna is an alternative to the traditional meat filled version combining vegetables such as mushrooms and zucchini along with a secret ingredient in the sauce! Heighten the excitement of a classic, by adding creamy ricotta to beautiful Italian passata and you’ll dive in for more than just one piece.

Watch video recipe:

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA | How to make an Easy Vegetable Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

1 x celery branch (chopped into cubes)
2x oyster mushrooms
1x zucchini (choppend into cubes)
2x capsicum (chopped into cubes)
Half eggplant (chopped into cubes)
Half carrot (chopped into cubes)
1/2 Onion (finely chopped)
Tomato Passata 1.4lt – 47ounces  (Italian tomato Puree)
Ricotta cheese 300gr – 1.2cups of Ricotta Cheese
Fresh Lasagna sheets (pre-made if you are not making your own)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 x diced fresh Fior di latte mozzarella (if you can’t find it use dry mozzarella or provolone)
2 pinches of mixed Italian dried herbs
Half glass of water
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Basil
Extra virgin olive oil

FRESH LASAGNA SHEETS

2 Eggs
200gr – 1.6cups of Plain Flour

UTENSILS:

1 x large pot for the sauce
1 x rectangular  non-stick baking tray
1 x knife
1 x wooden spoon
1 x grater
1 x small bowl
Aluminium Foil

METHOD:

1. Place the pot on the stove at a medium heat and add 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2. When the oil is warm add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, eggplant and capsicum and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with the lid and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes but keep stirring every 5 minutes.
   VINCENZO’S PLATE TIP: If it starts to dry out and crisp, add some more EVOO.
3. After 15 minutes add the oyster mushrooms (feel free to use any other mushrooms) and half glass of water.
4. Add 2 pinches of Italian herbs and cook for 15 more minutes. We usually use Marjoram, Thyme and Oregano.
5. Now it’s time to add the passata/fresh tomato puree, ricotta, salt & pepper.
6. Let this simmer, and add some fresh basil leaves, breaking them into smaller pieces using your hands.
7. Leave this on the stove for at least 30 minutes.

MAKE FRESH LASAGNA SHEETS

UTENSILS:

Kitchen Bench for kneading the pasta dough
Small plate/bowl
Knife
Fresh Pasta making machine

METHOD:

1. To make the fresh lasagna noodles for your vegetarian lasagna, pour the flour on to your board/table or kitchen bench.
2. Make a small-medium size mound using the flour and create a well in the centre.
3. Crack each egg onto the plate, then drop it into the well. This will prevent any unwanted egg shell remnants from getting inside the flour.
4. Whisk the eggs carefully using a fork.
5. Bring the edges of the flour into the centre with the fork, and quickly continue to cover them all the way around. Keep doing this (making sure the egg doesn’t run away!) until all of the eggs have folded into the flour. You will need to use your hands at this point.
6. Begin to mix it together using both hands until the dough for the fresh pasta begins to form.

VINCENZO’S PLATE TIP: Keep some extra flour close by and sprinkle it over your hands as you knead the dough to get rid of the excess sticky bits that are likely to be all over them!

7. Keep kneading the dough so that it begins to firm up and also smooth out.
8. Cover the fresh pasta dough and let it rest for 10 – 15 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes, check that you are happy with the texture of the dough by pressing down softly on it using both palms.
10. Cut a couple of slices from the main piece – approx. 2-2.5cm thick, and feed them through the largest slot in your fresh pasta making machine. Fold it together each time it passes through the widest setting, repeating this step 3 times.

VINCENZO’S TIP: Make sure you cover the remaining dough each time you finish using it to stop it from drying out.

11. Work your way down to the thinner options until you get the smooth consistency required. It’s ready when you can see your fingers through the lasagna noodles. You might need to sprinkle some added flour on top of the sheet, to prevent it from sticking

ASSEMBLE THE VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

1. Now cut the fresh Mozzarella (Fior di latte) into slices, and then into small cubes
2. Using a non stick baking tray, line the base with a touch of sauce.
3. Add layers of lasagna sheets, completely covering the base and not leaving any gaps.
4. Line the top of the lasagna pasta sheets with sauce and vegetables, this time using a generous amount and covering each one.
5. Add lots of cubes of fresh mozzarella, covering the sauce and getting into each corner.
6. Grate a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano over the top and then begin a new layer.
7. Start by lining up another set of lasagna sheets and repeat each step as above.
8. Finish it off with a set of lasagne sheets then smother it with the left over sauce the fresh mozzarella and grated Parmigiano
9. Cover the vegetarian lasagne tray with alfoil and place it in the oven at 180C – 356F for 15-20 minutes
10. After it has been in the oven for 10 minutes, remove the foil carefully and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes uncovered so it becomes deliciously crispy on top.

TIP! If you are using store bought lasagna pasta sheets, your cooking time may be a little bit longer, approx. 30 minutes in total.

HOW TO SERVE

1. Get a flat white plate and carefully slice the vegetarian lasagna down the middle and divide it into squares. Lift each piece out of the tray using something like a spade and help it slide off with a long knife.
2. Of course if you are crazy about parmesan cheese, you can grate even more on top of your vegetarian lasagna!

E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate…Enjoy!

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ITALIAN FOCACCIA RECIPE METHOD: Add 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO to your mixing bowl for the first step in this recipe. Using the pastry brush, wet the sides of the bowl so they become slightly moist. Add 200ml water and 2 x heaped tablespoons of flour. Pour in a satchel (7g) dry yeast and mix together well with a spoon. Then, add a teaspoon of honey to your focaccia mix – alternatively, you can also add 2 teaspoons of sugar For this recipe, add in half of the flour to your mix and using the hook attachment, start mixing. Mix for at least 5 minutes. Add 10g of salt to and the rest of the flour and mix it at a high speed for 20 minutes. Get the dough from the bowl and place it on top of the flour on your board. Fold it over a couple of times mixing in the flour on the board and on your hands until it forms a large ball. •Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. While you’re waiting, lather your baking tray with a generous amount of EVOO, again using your pastry brush. After 15 minutes, remove the tea towel from the dough and lift the dough. Then, fold the dough over, slightly stretching it, and press down on it, using the tips of your finger – poking it, all over! Fold it over again, so it becomes longer, and press down a few more times. Transfer the log of dough onto your tray, placing it in the centre, then lather it with the EVOO and cover it once again with the tea towel. Leave this to rest, for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the tea towel and your dough should have expanded quite a lot! Now, you need to spread the dough out on to the tray using the tips of your fingers so it covers the base entirely. Sprinkle rock salt over the top of your dough then let it rest once again covering it, for at least one hour, but even up top. Once the dough has rested again, remove the tea towel and pour some water and evoo over the top of it. This will stop the focaccia from burning and make it crisp on top. This Italian focaccia recipe requires you to press down using the tips of your fingers, all over the dough. If you choose to, add the cherry tomoatoes, faced up and then let the focaccia rest again for another hour. Back at 220C for 15 mins

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