Vegetable Lasagne

Ingredients

• Olive oil 2 tbsp
• Onion, finely chopped 1 large
• Garlic, minced 2 cloves
• Carrots, finely diced 2 medium
• Courgette, diced 1 medium
• Bell pepper (any colour), diced 1
• Mushrooms, sliced 200g
• Spinach, roughly chopped 100g
• Chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g can
• Tomato puree 2 tbsp
• Vegetable stock 150ml
• Dried oregano 1 tsp
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Lasagne sheets 250g
• For the Béchamel Sauce:
• Butter 50g
• Plain flour 50g
• Milk 750ml
• Nutmeg, grated a pinch
• For the Topping:
• Mature cheddar cheese, grated 100g
• Parmesan cheese, grated 50g

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/Gas Mark 5).
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, carrots, courgette, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, vegetable stock, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. While the vegetable sauce simmers, make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, ensuring no lumps form. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
5. To assemble the lasagne, spread a thin layer of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of a large ovenproof dish (approx. 20x30cm). Arrange a layer of lasagne sheets over the sauce (you may need to break them to fit).
6. Spoon half of the vegetable mixture over the lasagne sheets, then spread half of the remaining béchamel sauce over the vegetables. Repeat the layers: lasagne sheets, the rest of the vegetable mixture, and then the rest of the béchamel sauce.
7. In a small bowl, mix the grated cheddar and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this evenly over the top layer of béchamel sauce.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling, and the pasta is cooked through. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.