Vegetarian Lasagne
Serves 4
800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm-thick slices
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium red capsicum, chopped
2 medium zucchini, halved, sliced
1 medium eggplant, chopped
200g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
400g can diced tomatoes with oregano and basil
80g baby spinach
30g butter
2 Tablespoons plain flour
2 cups reduced-fat milk
1 cup reduced-fat grated mozzarella cheese
125g dried lasagne pasta sheets
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange pumpkin, in a single layer, on tray. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, capsicum, zucchini, eggplant and mushroom. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until eggplant is just tender. Stir in tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach. Cover. Set aside for 2 minutes or until spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Gradually add milk, stirring to prevent lumps forming. Return pan to heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens. Remove pan from heat. Stir in half the cheese. Set aside.
4. Lightly grease a 7cm-deep, 25cm (base) square baking dish. Spoon half the onion mixture into dish. Arrange half the pumpkin over onion mixture. Place half the lasagne sheets over pumpkin, breaking sheets to fit. Repeat layers. Spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and pasta tender. Stand for 10 minutes. Serve.