Recipe: Roasted vegetable Lasagne

I don't get to cook as often as I would like, but I've started trying to make more time to cook when I can. This recipe is one I've been doing for years, and it's one that never fails to turn out delicious. What's more, it's even more delicious the next day, reheated. It's also perfect because I'm trying to incorporate more meat free meals into my diet, and this is absolutely, 100% VEGETARIAN. Give it a try, and let me know how you get on.

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

1 small butternut squash
1 large carrot
1/2 a bulb of garlic
1 large yellow pepper
2 onions
1 sweet potato
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
1 can of chopped tomatoes or passata
1 tablespoon tomato puree
Grated cheddar cheese (or parmesan if you want to be authentic)
pinch salt
lasagne sheets
450ml milk
40g butter
40g butter
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Wash and cut the butternut squash, carrot, peeled garlic cloves, yellow pepper, sweet potato and 1 of the onions. Place them into an oven tray and drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of fresh chopped parsley. Place on the top shelf of the oven on gas 6 and roast for 40 minutes, or until the butternut squash has softened.

2. Once the vegetables are roasted, in a separate large saucepan, chop and fry the other onion slowly until softened. Turn the heat down and add the can of tomatoes, tomato puree, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper along with the remainder of the chopped parsley. Add to this the roasted vegetables and stir thoroughly until the sauce and vegetables are hot and fully combined. Put to one side.

3. Meanwhile pour the milk into a separate saucepan. Add the butter and heat gently until melted. Add the flour to this, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a balloon whisk, continually stir over a low heat until the sauce starts to thicken. Be patient, this bit takes time. Continue until the sauce is slightly thicker than a custard, remove from the heat.

4. In a medium sized lasagne dish, place a layer of vegetables in tomato sauce, followed by a layer of white sauce, followed by one layer of pasta sheets. Repeat this. Then place on top, one last layer of pasta sheets, and then grate cheese all over the top of the lasagne to your preferred thickness.

5. Set the oven to gas mark 4, and bake the lasagne in the oven for 1 hour.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.