Vegetable Bechamel Lasagne

"From Good Food Magazine March 1988. This is a fancy, jazzed-up lasagne, perfect for a holiday, dinner party or guests. Serve with some nice crusty Italian bread and Recipe #293605, and a nice Chianti!"
 
Download
photo by mersaydees photo by mersaydees
photo by mersaydees
Ready In:
2hrs 45mins
Ingredients:
28
Serves:
8
Advertisement

ingredients

Advertisement

directions

  • Make Chunky Tomato Sauce: Heat 2 T. olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with liquid. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper. (This should make about 2 cups.).
  • Make Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, then cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils. Season sauce lightly with salt. (Makes about 2 cups also.).
  • Stir 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese into bechamel.
  • Stir ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, the eggs, parsley, cloves, and pinch pepper together in mixing bowl.
  • Chop broccoli florets and stems (about 3 cups) and the bell peppers. Thinly slice carrots and zucchini.
  • Add spinach to broccoli in mixing bowl. Combine bell peppers, carrots and zucchini in second bowl.
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Remove half the onion mixture to saucer and reserve. Stir broccoli and spinach into remaining onion mixture. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, over low heat until very tender, about 15 minutes. Return to mixing bowl. Stir in 2 T. Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Return reserved onion mixture to skillet and heat over low heat. Stir in bell pepper mixture and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Return to mixing bowl and stir in 2 T. Parmwsan and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Meanwhile, cook lasagne noodles in large pot of salted boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to bowl of warm water to keep noodles from sticking together.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spread half the tomato sauce in bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Pat 5 noodles dry and arrange overlapping on tomato sauce. Spoon broccoli mixture at intervals on noodles, then spoon half the ricotta mixture between dollops of broccoli. Spread evenly and sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.
  • Layer 5 more noodles in dish. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over top. Spread bell pepper mixture over tomato sauce and top with remaining ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.
  • Add final layer of noodles. Spread evenly with bechamel and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. (Lasagne can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated until ready to bake.).
  • Bake lasagne until browned and bubbly, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

  1. For a recipe with so many ingredients and so many steps, this is amazingly well written! I followed it to a "T", and am not disappointed! This is delicious! This took a while to put together and bake, but is well worth it! Thanks, JackieOhNo! Made for ZWT4.
     
Advertisement

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I didn't start cooking until my early 20's, even though I come from a family of accomplished and admired home cooks. While I grew up watching my Italian grandmother in the kitchen, I remained uninterested in trying anything on my own. As a young lady, I was known for being particularly ignorant in the kitchen, with no idea how to even make a hot dog! All this changed, however, when I got engaged. I realized it was time to let my inherent talents out of the bag. At the time, the New York Times had a weekly column called The 60-Minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey. Each week, I would follow these recipes diligently, and taught myself to cook that way. From there, I began to read cookbooks and consult with relatives on family recipes. At my ripe old age now, I feel I know enough to put together a very pleasing meal and have become accomplished in my own right. Having an Irish father and an Italian mother, I'm glad I inherited the cooking gene (and the drinking one too!). One thing I have learned is that simpler is always better! I always believe cooking fills a need to nurture and show love. After being widowed fairly young and living alone with my dog and cats, I stopped cooking for awhile, since I really had no one to cook for. I made care packages for my grown son occasionally, and like to cook weekly for my boyfriend, so I feel like I am truly back in the saddle!!
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes