Vegetarian Lasagna

Norene Gilletz

Food Editor's Note:

Food Editor’s Note: I love this lasagna! Its title in Norene’s cookbook is Luscious Lasagna, and the name couldn’t be more apt. The other great thing about this dish is how healthy it is for a lasagna, chock full of all kinds of vegetables. You can make the sauce on one occasion and refrigerate or freeze it until you are ready to assemble the lasagna. This is a great dish for a family dinner or informal get-together with friends. Prepare it in advance, but cook it just before serving - it will be puffed and golden and smell heavenly.

Ingredients

Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce (click here for the recipe)
9 lasagna noodles, packaged or homemade
12-16 ounces chilled Mozzarella cheese (3-4 cups grated)
1 green and/or red bell pepper, halved
1 cup mushrooms
3 cups ricotta or creamed cottage cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare sauce as directed (click here for the recipe). Use immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain well; lay flat on clean towel. Fresh pasta does not require cooking.

Cut Mozzarella cheese to fit the feed tube of your food processor. Using the grater, grate the cheese using medium pressure. Empty bowl.

Using the slicer, slice the pepper and mushrooms, using light pressure. Empty bowl.

Using the steel blade, process ricotta or cottage cheese with egg until blended, about 10 second. [Food editor’s note: If your food processor is pareve, as mine is, you can blend the cheese and egg in a bowl with a fork or wire whisk.]

Place about 1 1/2 cups sauce in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Spread with half the ricotta cheese; sprinkle with half the Parmesan and 1/3 of the Mozzarella cheese. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses. Top with noodles, sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Garnish with peppers and mushrooms. (Can be refrigerated or frozen at this point. Thaw before baking.)

Bake in preheated 375-degree oven about 45 minutes, until bubbling and golden.

Variations: Add a 10-ounce package of chopped spinach, drained and squeezed dry, to ricotta cheese mixture. Tofu can replace part or all of the ricotta cheese.

Yield: 10 servings. Reheats and/or freezes well.

Reprinted with permission from The Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz (464 pages, soft cover, layflat binding, $24.95 U.S.). Norene is the author of several kosher cookbooks, including MealLeaniYumm! For cookbooks, cooking demonstrations & seminars, orders/fundraising info, call 1-888-811-9866 or 416-226-2466 or visit Norene’s web site at http://www.gourmania.com.