Vegetable lasagna

by Julie Goodwin

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large brown onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium carrot, grated
1 eggplant, peeled and diced 1cm
1 zucchini, diced 1cm
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
3 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
40g butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
3 cups tasty cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 packet dried lasagne sheets
1 cup parmesan, finely grated

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a large frypan or chef's pan, over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until softened and translucent. Add the carrot, eggplant and zucchini and mix together. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and sugar and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the eggplant and zucchini are very soft.
3. Top up the pan with a little bit of water if it is drying out too much before the flavours are rich.
4. The sauce should be fairly think and not too wet.
5. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir the flour and butter together until it forms a dough-like substance. Introduce the milk a little bit at a time, stirring until the liquid comes back to being a dough. When all the milk is added, bring to the boil then take off the heat. Add 2 cups of the tasty cheese, taste and season with salt.
6. In a 20 x 30cm (approx) baking dish, spread half the vegetable mixture. Top with one third of the cheese sauce, then lay lasagne sheets over the top. Repeat this process. On top of the second layer of lasagne, pour the rest of the cheese sauce. Scatter with the remaining tasty cheese, mozzarella and parmesan, and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden and the pasta soft.
7. Freezer tip: This can be frozen before the baking stage.