Vegetarian Lasagna

LASAGNA

A meal which is requested over and over and over in the Townsend Poole home. One of our FAVORITE meals.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to make it without meat and something amazing happened.

This lasagna is all veges (...and a touch of cheese) and oh oh oh so good.

1. Tomato sauce

1 28oz can whole tomatoes

1 small can tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp italian parsley - chopped fine

20 leaves basil - chopped fine

2 tbsp celery leaves - chopped fine

4 cloves garlic

salt/pepper/marjaram/oregano/red pepper to taste (approx 1/4 tsp ea.)

3 tbsp chopped procuito

1/4 cup red wine

Place all ingredients into medium sauce pan. Simmer with a slight boil for 45-60 mins.

2. Veges:

1 bunch spinach - trim off stems and rinse. Dry with paper towel.

1 lg yellow squash - sliced into rounds

1/2 zucchini - sliced into rounds

8-10 brown mushrooms - chopped

1/2 white onion - chopped

3 roma tomatoes

Saute mushrooms and onion together with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute squash and zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Saute spinach with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Slice tomatoes. Set aside

3. Beschemel

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour
1 c milk

1 c grated Fontina cheese ( I also used Havarti once and it was good too)

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper and hot pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

4. Cheese

10 oz fresh mozzarella

Slice. Set aside.

5. Assemble

Butter 8x8 or 9x9 square glass dish. Layer ingredients into pan:

1. Cover bottom of pan with red sauce to keep noodles from sticking.

2. Noodles - I used no boil noodles.

3. Veges - mushroom, onion, spinach, tomatoes, squash

4. Cheese

5. Red sauce

6. Noodles

7. Another layer veges, sauce and cheese

8. Noodles

9. last of red sauce and cheese on top

Cover. Bake at 375 for 50 min. Remove cover, broil 5 mins until cheese is browned.