Zucchini, or “courgette” as it is sometimes known, replaces meat in this lightened version of comforting lasagne.
By Jess Lacey
Zucchini Lasagne
- Total Time: 50 mins
Description
Zucchini, or “courgette” as it is sometimes known, replaces meat in this lightened version of comforting lasagne.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pack of dried or fresh lasagne (how much you will use depends on size and shape of dish)
- 1kg zucchini
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 25g butter
- 25g flour
- 500ml milk
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 40g grated parmesan
- 30g grated pecorino (or just do 70g parmesan)
Instructions
- Wash and trim the zucchini.
- Slice them lengthways, and then start slicing each half into thin semi circular shapes.
- If you are using dried lasagne, blanch each piece individually (they’ll stick together if you do more) in a pot of boiling water for a minute or two to soften, then refresh with cold water and set aside.
- Unless you have a really big pan, you’ll probably have to cook the zucchini in batches.
- Heat some olive oil in over a medium heat and saute the zucchini for five minutes.
- Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Add some garlic (if cooking in batches) and cook for another five or so minutes, until the zucchini is meltingly soft.
- Repeat with the remaining batches.
- Toss the cooked zucchini with fresh parsley.
- To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- When the butter is fully melted, stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to form a roux.
- Gradually stir in the milk until it is fully combined with the roux.
- Cook while gently stirring until the sauce is thickened to a slightly liquid paste – this can take up to fifteen minutes.
- If there are lumps of roux at the start, don’t worry, they’ll usually melt away and if they don’t, strain them out at the end.
- Season the bechamel heavily with salt, pepper and nutmeg (it will take much more than you think, but taste throughout).
- Stir in 3/4 of the cheese.
- Butter the dish and spread a little bechamel over it.
- Reserve about 1/4 of the bechamel to spread on top.
- Mix the courgette and remaining bechamel.
- Layer the lasagne and zucchini.
- Spread the bechamel on the top piece of lasagne, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main
