Simple Italian vegetarian lasagne dish from Ottolenghi’s ‘Flavour Cookbook’ to inspire healthier & convenient home cooking. Versatile dish to make, which can be made in advance. Please check out my ‘Ottolenghi’ & ‘Vegetarian/ Vegan’ playlists for more inspirational recipes.
This lasagne contains one of two epic ragù recipes in FLAVOUR – the other is the ultimate traybake ragù, (p.101) which, we believe, give any meat ragù a terrifically good run for its money.
This is our meatless take on that mythical sauce.
The ragù can easily be made vegan if you lose the cream & remove or replace the cheese. It can also be made ahead & refrigerated, ready to be served with pasta or polenta, saving yourself the trouble of constructing the lasagne if you’re short on time. Reduce the black pepper & lose the chilli for a child-friendly or less hot version.
Ingredients
750g chestnut mushrooms
500g oyster mushrooms
60g dried porcini mushrooms https://amzn.to/32Mzl3S
30g dried wild mushrooms https://amzn.to/3cZIkRb
2 fresh or dried red chillies (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
5-6 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)
2–3 plum tomatoes
75g tomato paste
500ml vegetable stock
130ml coconut milk (plus drizzle)
60g Pecorino Romano (grated) or Vegan alternative
60g Parmesan (grated) or Vegan alternative
5g basil (chopped)
10g parsley (chopped plus extra to serve)
250g dried lasagne sheets ( 4-5 layers)
135ml olive oil
salt & pepper
Method/ Steps
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.
2. Put the chestnut & oyster mushrooms into a large bowl of a food processor in batches & pulse each batch until finely chopped. Toss the chopped mushrooms into a large bowl with 3-4 tbsp of oil & 1 tsp of salt & spread out on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 30 mins, stirring several times throughout, until golden-brown (they will reduce). Set aside to cool.
3. Combine the dried mushrooms, chillies & prepared stock in a large bowl & set aside to soak for 30 mins. Strain the liquid into another bowl, squeeze out excess liquid, to get about +300ml (if you have less, top with water). Roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms then finely chop the chillies. Set the stock & mushrooms aside.
4. Put the onion, garlic & carrot into the food processor & pulse until finely chopped. Heat 60ml of oil in a large sauté pan. Once hot, add the onion mixture & fry for 5-10 mins, stirring oftem, until soft and golden. Pulse the tomatoes in the food processor until finely chopped (or chop by hand), then add to the pan along with the tomato paste, 1½ teaspoons of salt & 1¾ teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 7 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the rehydrated mushrooms, chillies & roasted mushrooms & cook for 8-12 mins, resist in stirring (you want the mushrooms to be slightly crispy). Stir in the reserved stock & 800ml of water & reduce the heat to medium & cook for about 25 mins, until you get the consistency of a ragù. Stir in 100ml of the cream & simmer for another 2 mins, then remove from heat.
5. Combine both cheeses & herbs in a small bowl. To assemble the lasagne, spread 0.5-1cm of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish of your choice, then sprinnkle the cheese mixture, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat process of layering 4-5 times & finally garnish with a final layer of sauce & cheese.
6. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of cream & 1 tbsp of oil, then cover with foil & bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, increase the temperature to 220°C fan, then bake for another 10-15 mins. Optionally grill for a final 2 mins, until the edges are crisp. Set aside to cool, then drizzle over the remaining tbsp of cream & oil. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley, finish with a good grind of pepper & serve.
Ottolenghi ‘Flavour’ Cookbook https://amzn.to/37iAwYF
Kitchen Equipment
Kitchen Knives (8 Pieces German Knife Set with Block) https://amzn.to/3E2O0FP
De’Longhi Caffe’ Corso Fully Automatic Bean to Cup Coffee Machine https://amzn.to/2AOGbb7
Bosch MCM3501MGB Toaster Which review score 74% https://amzn.to/2UzXP9T
Bosch TWK8633GB Styline Collection Cordless Kettle https://amzn.to/2WNHyPG
Bosch Styline Toaster https://amzn.to/2yoVbM0
Pyrex 3pc Jug & Bowl & Measuring Set (1 & 2L Bowls + 0.5L) https://amzn.to/31ec4Ya
JJ Folding Chopping board https://amzn.to/39d6QgB
Joseph Joseph Rocker Garlic Crusher https://amzn.to/2NyL4eV
JJ Black Worktop Saver https://amzn.to/3aX3xsk
Filming Apparatus (See links for visuals):
Selfie Stick Extendable Clamp Phone Holder (Main Presenting Angle) https://amzn.to/2JUpRda
Flexible Arm Mount Stand for mobile (Birds Eye Preparing Visuals) https://amzn.to/2IdvqTF
Tripod Mount holder for mobile (Birds Eye Cooking Visuals) https://amzn.to/33J11o0
Universal Mobile Phone Car Mount/ window Holder (Angled Preparing Visuals) https://amzn.to/3gbFeKq
Enjoy, Yours Truly, James
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