Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Ingredients

• 6 tomatoes
• 3 peppers in a variety of colours
• 2 red onions
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt
• 25 g Butter
• 25 g Plain Flour
• 250 ml Milk (I use skimmed milk)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 fresh lasagne sheets
• 60 g cheddar cheese
• 40 g manchego cheese (or parmesan if you're not vegetarian)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Roast the vegetables ---

2. 2

   Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan.

3. 3

   Roughly chop the vegetables (6 tomatoes, 3 peppers, 2 red onions) into large chunks (see image above to get an idea of size).

4. 4

   Put the veg into a roasting dish and add the dried oregano (1 tbsp) and olive oil (1 tsp) and a pinch of salt. Toss the vegetables in the oil and oregano until they are all coated.

5. 5

   Place into the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Give them a good mix up halfway through to ensure they are cooked evenly.

6. 6

   While the vegetables are roasting, make the white sauce.

7. 7

   --- Make the white sauce ---

8. 8

   Add the butter (25g) and plain flour (25g) and cook on a low heat until the butter has melted. Stir together until fully incorporated - most recipes suggest melting the butter and then adding the flour. I prefer to add them both at the start as this helps to ensure that the flour doesn't have a raw taste in the finished sauce.

9. 9

   Once the butter has melted and the butter and flour are mixed together, gradually add the milk (250ml). Stir to ensure that each addition of milk is fully incorporated before adding more.

10. 10

    Once all of the milk has been added to the pan add the bay leaves (2 leaves) and cloves (4 cloves).

11. 11

    Stir/whisk continuously until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency (I like to dip in a spoon and check if the sauce leaves a coating on the back when removed).

12. 12

    Season with salt and pepper.

13. 13

    Remove the bay leaves and cloves.

14. 14

    Put the sauce into a bowl and cover with cling film, ensuring that the cling film is in contact with the top of the sauce to prevent a skin forming until ready to construct the lasagne.

15. 15

    --- Construct the lasagne ---

16. 16

    Grate the cheese.

17. 17

    In an oven proof dish, spoon in one third of the roasted vegetables and spread them evenly across the bottom of the dish.

18. 18

    Lay a lasagne sheet on top.

19. 19

    Add one third of the white sauce and spread evenly.

20. 20

    Top with one third of the cheese.

21. 21

    Repeat this process three times until you have used all of your ingredients.

22. 22

    Place into the oven (220ºC/200ºC - same as for the vegetables) and cook for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown.

23. 23

    Serve