One of the most loved dishes in the world turned VEGAN. It’s just like a big warm hug within layers of pasta, tomato sauce, white sauce and melted BioCheese!
Cooking tips:
This dish is dairy free and vegan. You can make this dish gluten free as long as you use gluten free flour and gluten free lasagne sheets.
Make sure your sauces are quite wet so that the pasta sheets cook through properly. You can thin both the Napoli and the béchamel by adding water a little at a time.
It is best to allow the lasagne to rest for five minutes after being removed from the oven, as this will allow the lasagne to hold its shape better when you cut it.
Serves: 4 (or 2 very hungry people!)
INGREDIENTS:
7 instant lasagne sheets (San Remo are vegan as are other brands)
2 eggplants
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the béchamel sauce
1 packet BioCheese Cheddar Shred
2 cups almond milk
4 tbsp white wholewheat flour or cornflour
2 tsp vegan chicken-flavoured stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tsp olive oil
For the Napoli sauce
2 cans diced tomato
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, diced
½ cup roughly chopped basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vegan powdered chicken-flavoured stock
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a 10cm round baking tray (or any tray you wish as long as it’s the same size).
2. Slice the eggplants into 1cm thick rounds and place on a greased baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
3. Place in the oven for 20 mins, turning slices over at the 10 min mark. Remove slices from the tray onto a plate and set aside.
4. To make the Napoli sauce: sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until slightly golden and translucent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, powdered stock and water and cook for 30 mins. Season with salt and pepper. Thin out with a little more water if necessary set aside.
5. To make the béchamel sauce: heat the margarine and olive oil slightly and once the margarine has melted, mix in flour until completely combined. Turn the heat to very low and had the milk a little at a time, making sure the mixture absorbs it and there are no lumps (you can use a whisk to make this easier). Season with salt and pepper and thin out with a little water if necessary.
6. To assemble the lasagne: spread a thin layer of the Napoli sauce over the base of the round dish. Place the pasta sheet on the bottom (you may have to break some up to get the paste into the rounder corners – it’s okay if this is a little bit rough!). Spread a thin layer of the Napoli, then a layer of the baked eggplant rounds, another thin layer of the Napoli sauce and then a layer of the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle BioCheese Cheddar Shred over the béchamel layer. Repeat this process one more time and on the last layer, sprinkle the remaining BioCheese Cheddar Shred on top.
7. Bake the lasagne in the oven for 30 mins or until the top is golden and the pasta is cooked through. Serve with your favourite salad and enjoy!