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If you previously made my Ratatouille Recipe (and made extra, so you’d have some left over) then you’re well on your way to preparing Vegetable Lasagna in ten minutes.

All that’s left to do is make the yummy white sauce that goes on top, called Bechamel Sauce.  I’ve included a detailed list of instructions for doing this,  just in case you’ve never made bechamel sauce before.

Vegetable Lasagna

Here goes:-

Vegetable Lasagna – Ingredients

• Left over ratatouille
• Ready to cook lasagna sheets
• 2 tablespoons butter or usual spread
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 250 ml / 8 fl oz milk (I use soy)
• Good handful grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra Parmesan

Vegetable Lasagna – Method

1. Spread a little ratatouille on the bottom of a large oven proof dish
2. Top with lasagna sheets
3. Spread a layer of ratatouille
4. Top with lasagna sheets
5. Continue in this way a few more times, finishing with lasagna sheets
6. Gently melt the butter in a saucepan
7. Add the flour and using a wooden spoon stir to form a thick paste
8. Take off the heat and add a little milk
9. Stir to combine
10. Add a bit more milk and return the pan to a moderate heat – keep stirring
11. Slowly pour in the rest of the milk with one hand and continually stir with the other
12. Eventually you’ll end up with a nice thick white sauce
13. Add a good handful of Parmesan cheese and stir until melted
14. Pour the sauce on top of the last layer of lasagne sheets and smooth over
15. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese
16. Bake in a moderate over for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown on top
17. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving

Serving Suggestions

• I like to serve at the table with a mixed green salad
• Also nice with Garlic Bread served on the side

Handy Hints and Variations

• You can add a cooked spinach layer if you have time. Use fresh or frozen spinach and squeeze out as much water as you can after cooking
• Again, if you have time, roast some pumpkin, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with chili flakes. Use as bottom layer of veggie lasagna
• Try adding a drained tin of pulses to the ratatouille – I use ‘three beans’
• You can use a combination of milk and plain yoghurt for the white sauce
• Don’t panic if your white sauce goes lumpy.  A hand whisk will usually get rid of them.  Just remember to keep stirring and don’t have the heat too high
• If you’re preparing in advance, use cold ratatouille and cold bechamel sauce. That way the lasagna sheets will stay flat (and not curl up at the edges)
• If the white sauce is too thick, add more milk
• If the white sauce is too thin, it’s too late to add more butter and flour. But you can add more Parmesan cheese or thicken with corn flour mixed with a little water
• As suggested above, it’ best to allow the vegetable lasagna to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.  It makes it much easier to slice and serve and tastes better when it’s not boiling hot

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Jan Littlehales

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Ratatouille Recipe

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Ratatouille is quick and easy to make and delicious served as a side dish.  It’s also perfect for veggie lasagne, so make more than you need and use the left-overs to make a lasagne the following day.

You can use a range of vegetables, so don’t feel tide to just using exactly the same ones I used. I suggest alternatives in “Handy Hints and Variations” below.

Ratatouille Recipe

This ratatouille recipe will serve around 6 people, as a side dish.

Let’s get started:

Ratatouille Recipe – Ingredients

• 2 or 3 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil)
• Small bunch of spring onions – chopped
• 1 small egg plant – chopped
• 1 large or two small pepper (any colour – I used red) – chopped
• 2 or 3 courgettes/zucchinis – chopped
• 1 large stick of celery – chopped
• 3 or 4 large tomatoes – chopped
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic – crushed
• 2 table spoons chopped fresh parsley – or 1 tea spoon dried – optional
• 2 table spoons chopped fresh basil – or 1 tea spoon dried – optional
• 2 table spoons tomato paste/puree

Ratatouille Recipe – Method

1. Gently heat the oil in a large pan
2. Add everything bar the tomatoes, garlic, herbs and tomato paste and stir for a couple of minutes
3. Add the tomatoes, garlic and herbs and stir for another couple of minutes
4. Add the tomato paste and stir though to combine
5. Turn the heat to low and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. The ratatouille is ready when all the veggies are soft
7. Add salt and pepper to taste

Ratatouille - Ingredients

Ratatouille - Raw

Ratatouille - Cooking

 Handy Hints and Variations

• If you are planning on making veggie lasagne with the ratatouille, chop all the veggies quite small (see photos)
• As mentioned earlier, you can use other vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and brown or red onions (instead of spring onions)
• Don’t be tempted to add liquid at the beginning – as the veggies cook they will release their own liquid
• Try different herbs – fresh is you have them
• You can add a drained tin of pulses
• For a bit of a ‘kick’ add some chilli (fresh or dried)
• Ratatouille can be served hot or cold
• You can reheat this ratatouille recipe in the oven and let it go a bit crispy on top – nice
• You can also reheat in the microwave

Look out for Vegetable Lasagne (using left-over ratatouille) coming soon.

Thanks for reading another Dinner in Ten Minutes recipe.

You can follow Dinner in Ten Minutes on Facebook.

You can leave any comments below.

Jan Littlehales

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