← Nouns Cooking · Plant-Based

Ingredients

• 1 kg large courgettes (about 4), sliced lengthways 5 mm thick
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 700 g Passata
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 250 g Ricotta
• 1 Eggs
• 40 g parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, grated, divided
• 1 handful Basil, chopped
• 200 g Mozzarella, grated or torn
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lay the courgette slices on lined trays, brush with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 12–15 min, until floppy and starting to dry out, then blot with kitchen paper. This stops the lasagne being watery.
2. Meanwhile, warm the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Add the passata and oregano and simmer for 10–15 min, until thick. Season.
3. Mix the ricotta with the egg, half the parmesan, the basil and plenty of black pepper.
4. Spread a little sauce over the base of a 20 x 30 cm baking dish. Add a layer of courgette, then dollops of ricotta spread out gently, a ladle of sauce and a handful of mozzarella. Repeat to make three layers, finishing with sauce, mozzarella and the rest of the parmesan.
5. Bake for 30–35 min, until bubbling and golden. Leave to rest for 10 min before slicing so the layers set.

Tips

• Traditional parmesan is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you.
• A mandoline or wide vegetable peeler gives even slices that cook at the same rate.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Love and Lemons BBC Good Food