Courgette Lasagne
Although I love a bit of meat I can easily go vegetarian five to six days in the week. And I used to be a big meat eater, up to the age of 21, when I was living in Brazil, I could count on one hand the times I had a main dish that did not contain meat.
My husband on the other hand, well his reaction is always amusing when I tell him I am not adding any meat to our dinners. Last week I made fresh tomato sauce and he asked me not once, not twice but three times: without meat? As if it was an outlandish concept. We were food shopping and he was trying his hardest to convince me to buy minced meat so that the sauce could become bolognese. What is up with all the vegetarian prejudice?!?
I have been making this recipe for years, it’s easy and tasty. I use only courgettes, tomato sauce and cheese but it’s a versatile dish so you can add bacon, ham or even minced meat.
Courgette Lasagne
4 medium sized courgettes
2 red onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp oregano
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
150ml vegetable stock
2tbsp tomato puree
200g parmesan or emmental cheese
salt and pepper
handful of breadcrumbs
basil
basil
Method:
1- Preheat the oven to 225C. Cut the ends of the courgette and slice them lengthwise into strips around 0.5 cm thick. Cook them in the oven (important not to place them too close together) for 30 minutes or until cooked. You can also do this step on a griddle/frying pan, but it’s quicker to cook them in the oven.
2- In a pan heat up a little olive oil and brown the onion and oregano. Add the garlic, tomatoes, puree and the stock and let it come to a boil. Once it’s boiled let it simmer for around 20 minutes, place lid on top leaving a gap. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3- To assemble start by adding a little of the sauce on the bottom of your baking dish, add a layer of courgette slices, a layer of sauce and finally the cheese. Repeat until there are no more ingredients left. Top it with a final layer of cheese followed by a breadcrumbs and basil. Bake at 180C for 30-40 minutes.
