Lasagna with Red Pepper, Eggplant, Mushrooms & Spinach

I like to make a lasagna with sautéed vegetables… & home-made sauce. but sometimes I buy a bottled spaghetti sauce to save time! Here is a recipe for a vegatarian lasanga…

Go buy a bottle of spaghetti sauce… & a couple of jars of tomato sauce— whatever vegetables you would like to eat in your lasagna –a large container of cottage cheese–grated mozzarella… …& some ready oven lasagna noodles!

This time I used a red pepper, eggplant, mushrooms & spinach. I wanted more veg then cheese in this lasagna…( we had just gotten back from Palm Springs & I think I didn’t eat enough veg there!…). & I used too little sauce so it was quite dry, but I have put the correct amount of sauce in the recipe

Here is the recipe 

ingredients

I red pepper

1 small eggplant

I used 8 mushrooms…..

1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small bag of baby spinach

750 g container of cottage cheese

1 box lasagna noodles..I use the ready oven ones

1 egg, beaten

1 bottle of spaghetti sauce(645 ml) –I use Perego but any one you like the taste of will work

1 jar (398ml) of tomato sauce

lasagna noodles…you can use the ready oven ones or regular ones..which you will have to cook first, let cool before handling..cook them according to the pkg instructions

1 320 g pkg of shredded mozzarella

Method

This amount made 1 lasagna pan..a 9 x 11 baking dish

1. The first thing to do is prepare the vegetables. Cut them into small pieces…I sliced the red pepper quite thinly, then I cut the eggplant into small pieces & sliced & cut the mushrooms into pieces. I put all of these vegetables into a bowl. Toss them with 1 -2 tbsp vegetable oil
2. Put the vegetables onto a baking sheet & into a hot oven, 400f & roast. There will be water on the baking sheet from the mushrooms, but it will evaporate as they cook. I did not add any salt to these veg. Roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes until they are soft & cooked. Check them often & you can give them a stir one in a while…I use a spatula to move them around. When the vegetables are cooked, take the baking sheet out of the oven & set aside
3. While the vegetables are roasting, you have to cook the spinach. I like to rinse spinach, which leaves some water on the leaves..this is good when microwaving it. Put the spinach into a microwave safe bowl & cook it for about 1 – 2 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes so you can handle it…you have to get the water out of the spinach. I take a terry tea towel. dump the cooked spinach on it, roll the towel up & then twist it over the sink or a bowl to catch the liquid coming out… Once this is done & the spinach is ‘dry’, put it into a large bowl
4. Next… Strain the cottage cheese for a few minutes to get the water out of it. I put the cottage cheese in a fine strainer over a bowl & let it sit for maybe 5 minutes just to let some of the liquid drain off.
5. Once the cottage cheese is drained put it into the bowl with the spinach & disgard the liquid
6. Add the beaten egg to the spinach & cottage cheese, mix well
7. Mix the spaghetti sauce & the tomato sauce together
8. Now you are going to put this all together… it’s easy..  you are going to layer everything…..…1. put 1/2  cup sauce in the bottom of the pan  2. now 2 lasagna noodles & I break some to fill up the space along the side, I do this for each layer ..if you are using oven-ready lasagne noodles do not overlap them ..3. now, you need some more sauce over the noodles…so put about 3/4 cup evenly over the noodles 4. next put 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture on & spread it evenly over the noodles 5. Spread 1/2 of the roasted vegetables all over the cottage cheese 6. now,,,,more noodles, sauce, the balance of the cottage cheese & vegetables, more noodles & sauce 7. your dish will be full, 8. Top the lasagna with the whole bag of shredded mozerella cheese
9. You have to cover the lasagna with foil & bake, at 350 f, for 45 minutes, then uncover & bake until the cheese is melted & as brown as you like..about 15-25 minutes longer TIP: SPRAY ONE SIDE OF THE FOIL WITH NON-STICK COOKING SPRAY & PUT THE SPRAYED SIDE OVER THE CHEESE. THEN WHEN YOU TAKE THE FOIL OFF, THE CHEESE WILL NOT HAVE STUCK TO THE FOIL!
10. Let the lasagna sit for a bit before cutting.

Enjoy!