Typically, when you hear the word "Lasagna", images of long, tender noodles holding layer upon layer of meat sauce and mixture of Italian cheeses might come to mind. This new recipe I am going to post today is about a lasagna without meat, no typical red tomato sauce, and very little cheese indeed. I'm writing about a vegetable lasagna, the same long, tender noodles, but instead there are layers chock full of sautéed vegetables, fresh spinach leaves and a béchamel sauce. Béchamel is a white sauce, but since I did melt in a fair amount of shredded Parmesan cheese, it becomes an Alfredo sauce.
Even though the noodles are undercooked slightly, they will be pliable and not fall apart. Will they cook evenly while baking? Yes! The sauce, plus natural liquid from the vegetables, will finish cooking the noodles; they will be tender and absorb flavors of both the sauce and the vegetables. The Alfredo sauce allows the vegetables to retain their individual flavors and truly enhances them.
Vegetable Lasagna Rustico
Lasagna Filling: Ingredients:
12 Lasagna Noodles (full size, not the no-cook variety)
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
½ lb. shredded carrots
½ sliced mushrooms
1 large zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 large yellow squash, cut into ¼ inch slices
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Italian herbal mix
½ lb. spinach leaves; divided into 1/3 portions
5 cups Alfredo sauce
Alfredo Sauce: Ingredients:
8 Tbsp. butter
8 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 cups hot milk
1 (8 oz.) package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Preparation:
Prepare noodles according to package direction, but undercook by 5 minutes to leave the noodles pliable.
Prepare the Alfredo sauce which should be kept warm until ready for use. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted; gradually add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns a golden brown color, about 6 to 7 minutes; this is the roux.
Add the hot milk to the butter mixture one cup at a time; whisk continuously to avoid burning or clumping. When mixture is completely smooth, add the cheese and whisk until smooth again; remove from heat; season with salt and nutmeg.
Prepare the vegetable filling; in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add onions, red and green bell peppers and carrots; mix and let cook for five minutes. Add in the mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash; mix and let cook for five minutes. Mix in garlic and Italian herbal mixture; remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 375F and lightly spray a 4-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Begin the layering process: one cup sauce spread over bottom of baking dish; three noodles alongside each other; one third of the vegetables from the skillet spread over the noodles; one third of the spinach leaves spread over the vegetables; three noodles; one cup sauce spread over the noodles; lastly top with remaining two cups of sauce.
- Or -
One Cup Sauce
3 Noodles
1/3 Vegetables
1/3 Spinach Leaves
3 Noodles
One Cup Sauce
1/3 Vegetables
1/3 Spinach Leaves
3 Noodles
One Cup Sauce
1/3 Vegetables
1/3 Spinach Leaves
3 Noodles
Top with remaining two cups of sauce.
Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes; until golden brown. Let rest for 20 minutes before cutting into portions, as after resting, the cut portions hold their shape well.
Makes 9 servings.
Guest Blogger Bio: Mary Cokenour
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY; lived in Lancaster, PA before moving to Monticello, UT with my husband, Roy. We are the "Indiana Jones and Marian" of the area which can be read about on my travel blog, The Southwest Through Wide Brown Eyes (www.southwestbrowneyes.com).
I love the area I live in; clean, clear, blue sky; the stars so bright at night and you can almost touch the moon. Beautiful mountains, desert, red rocks....beauty as far as the eye can see. I always encourage everyone, and anyone, to move to San Juan County, UT, if they’re looking for a peaceful plot on this planet. Businesses are also encouraged, as the tourist trade is year round due to the National Parks and Monuments surrounding the area.
However, my passion is cooking which my maternal grandmother began teaching me when I was five years old. Unfortunately, I lost her when I was only ten; and did not begin self-training until my twenties. In 1995, I won my first Better Homes and Gardens magazine cooking contest, appeared on a local television station, and my passion was back! 2011 was the birth of my food blog, Food Adventures of a Comfort Cook (www.comfortcookadventures.com).
Food should be a comfort to the body, mind and soul; not just eaten and forgotten about five minutes later. Not only do I write about and demonstrate personal recipes, but those of other food bloggers, and credit is given where credit is due. I review new products and gadgets, and restaurant reviews as well. It’s important that consumers know what to expect, and that they’re not wasting precious time and finances.
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