Vegetable lasagne

Warm, hearty and filling, this classic Italian dish is the ideal winter warmer and goes well with garlic bread and a green salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of lasagne
• 1 medium aubergine
• 3 medium courgettes, sliced
• 10-15 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 clove of crushed garlic or 1 tsp of garlic purée
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 30g butter/margarine
• 30g plain flour
• 570ml milk
• 100 - 150g grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tsp basil pesto or 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. First of all, preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4). Then dice the aubergine, place in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave the aubergines to drain for around 20-30 minutes and then blot on kitchen paper. This prevents the aubergine from tasting bitter when added to the other ingredients. Next, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the chopped onion and fry on medium with the garlic until soft. Add the sliced courgettes and add to the onion and garlic mix along with the now drained aubergine. Fry until the courgettes and aubergine are slightly golden in colour. Then add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue to fry for a further 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, pesto (or basil), oregano and tomato purée. Reduce the heat and let it all simmer while you make the cheese sauce.

2. To make this, melt the butter in a pan. Then add the flour gradually, a little each time, and ensure you mix it well after each addition. The mixture should bind together. Carry on stirring and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the milk, a little at a time and keep mixing otherwise lumps can form. When you've added all the milk, let it stand over a low heat and bring to the boil gradually. Stir continuously and the sauce should thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, mixing it in well.

3. In a lasagne dish, layer the vegetable mix, followed by cheese sauce and then the pasta, carrying on this sequence. You should begin and end with a layer of vegetables. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake in the oven according to the lasagne instructions, usually around 30 minutes. Serve warm.