Hearty Italian Zucchini Lasagne

Nothing is more heavenly than a rich and robust lasagne on a cold winter night. This is one of my favorite recipes and is even popular with my carnivore family and friends.

Fun Fact about the Origins of Lasagne:

I didn't know this, but Lasagne did not originate in Italy. Its origins can be traced back to Ancient Greece. The word "lasagne" (or lasagna) is derived from the Greek word "Laganon". Laganon was the first form of pasta but is not the traditional lasagne we know today. It did compose of pasta and sauce and basically it got its name from the process of making it rather than the ingredients.

Fast forward to the Middle Ages Italy. The first recorded recipe that slightly resembles today's traditional lasagne appears in the 14th century in Liber de Coquina (The Book of Cookery). The recipe included fermented dough flattened into sheets that were boiled, sprinkled with cheese and spices, then eaten on a small pointed stick.

Lasagne has been traditionally ascribed to Naples and is known as lasagne di carnevale. Lasagne di carnevale is layered with local sausage, small fried meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, and sauced with a Neapolitan ragù, a meat sauce. The most common lasagne outside of Italy is lasagne al forno and is layered with a thicker ragù and bechamel sauce. Lasagne al forno is traditionally associated with the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Different regions of Italy all have their own style featuring different combinations of cheese, meats, and vegetables but in all cases, this dish is always oven baked.

So, my recipe is a vegetarian version that includes zucchini, potatoes, beans, mushrooms, capsicum, diced tomatoes, and onions. I love the hearty and rich flavor capsicum adds to the sauce.

It's quick and simple, with only two parts - first the sauce, then the body of the lasagne. As I live alone, I don’t use a traditional lasagne tray, but a small casserole dish. I also batch cook so this recipe serves 2 if you don't add any side dishes. Feel free to adjust it to suit the size of your lasagne dish.

The Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 Garlic cloves
• 200g Mushrooms
• 1 Small to medium sized onion
• 1 medium red capsicum
• 680g bottle of Passata
• 1 can of Italian diced tomatoes
• Oregano and Basil

Dice the garlic cloves and saute in the saucepan with a dash of olive oil. Slice the mushrooms and add them to the garlic cloves. Next, I add the onions and capsicum which I diced. I heat the mushrooms, onion and capsicum for a few minutes before adding a can of diced tomatoes a dash of oregano and basil, and finally the Passata. Allow to cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sauce is cooking I then prepare the zucchini and potatoes for the lasagne.

Preparing the Lasagne:

Ingredients:

• 2 Medium Zucchini
• 4 Medium Potatoes
• 1 Can of Red Kidney Beans
• Lasagne Sheets
• The Sauce
• Grated Mozzarella

So, while the sauce is cooking, I thinly slice the zucchini and potatoes, as these will be placed in layers throughout the lasagne.

Once the sauce is ready, place a thin layer on the bottom of the lasagne dish, then add one layer of zucchini and potato. Add a little mozzarella before placing lasagne sheets on top.

The next layer is continued 2 more times: one layer of zucchini, followed by a layer of potatoes topped with red kidney beans, a layer of sauce, a little cheese then add the lasagne sheets.

The final layer pour the remaining sauce over the top and add mozzarella on top. Then place the lasagne in the oven at about 180-200 degrees for 30 minutes.

When ready to serve you can add a side salad, cooked vegetables or simply enjoy the lasagne on its own.