Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna with Zuccs & Pesto

Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna with Zuccs & Pesto




Prep Time: 35 Min
Cook Time: 1 1/2 Hr +

Yields: 8 Large Pieces

WHAT YOU NEED

SAUCE

• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp. EVOO
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
  
• 2 stalks Celery, diced
  
• 1 Carrot, diced
  
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
  
• 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
  
• 1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
  
• 1/2 C White Wine
  
• 796ml San Marzano Tomatoes
  
• 500ml Roasted Red Peppers
  
• 1/4 C Roasted Red Pepper Liquid
  
• Handful Fresh Basil
  
• 1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temp
  
• 1/2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
  
• ​1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt
  

FILLING

• 560ml Full Fat Ricotta
• 1 Large Free-Range Egg
• 1/2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 C Grana Padano, shredded
  
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
  
• 1 Lemon, zested
  
• 1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
• A Few Dashes Nutmeg
  
• ​1/2 Tsp. + Sea Salt
  

OTHER

• 5 Large Zucchinis
• Vegetable Oil For Frying
• 2x 360g Fresh lasagna Sheets
• Prepared Pesto

Store bought is fine, but you could easily whip up my Walnut & Basil pesto.
www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/cheesy-tortellini-pesto-skillet

• 2 1/2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
• Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley, Grana Padano - Garnish

DIRECTIONS

• FILLING - Mix everything together in a medium sized mixing bowl except for the egg. Taste your filling and add salt to taste if desired. Whisk in the egg, cover, and refrigerate until assembly.
• SAUCE - Begin heating 2 Tbsp. butter, the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic cloves, in a medium sized pot set to about medium heat. Once heated, let everything sizzle for 30 seconds - 1 minute without burning. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Stir and cook 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced before adding the roasted peppers, pepper liquid, and tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil and once boiled, reduce the heat to medium low, add the handful of fresh basil, dried oregano, and 1/2 Tsp. sea salt. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Blend using an immersion blender until nice and smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. butter & whipping cream. Bring to temperature, taste, and add additional salt if desired.
• While the sauce cooks, begin heating enough vegetable oil on medium in a skillet for a shallow fry. Use a mandolin to slice the zuccs on the second lowest setting in to nice, thin strips. Working in batches, cook the zucchinis in the hot oil for 2 - 3 minutes per side until tender and showing some browning. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and continue until all zuccs have been fried.
• Preheat oven to 350 F​

• ASSEMBLY - Spray the inside of a 9"x14" (9"x 13" would also work) with cooking spray. Ladle some of the sauce in to the bottom of the dish to coat. Place your first layer of fresh noodles in to the dish, cutting them to fit the dish if needed. Ladle more sauce over the noodles and spread to coat them. Lay some sliced zucchinis along the sheets followed by dollops of your pesto and about 1/2 C shredded mozz. Season the layer with sea salt and place your next layer of sheets. Sauce, zuccs, pesto, 1/2 C mozz, followed by more sheets. Spread your entire batch of filling to coat the entire layer. Top with more lasagna sheets and continue with another zucchini layer followed by more sheets for the top. (4 Layers.) Finish with sauce to coat the top layer, remaining sliced zuccs, more pesto dollops, and all of the remaining 1 C pizza mozzarella.
• Cover the lasagna and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake another 15 - 20 minutes until nice and bubbly & golden. You could switch the oven to BROIL 500 F for a minute or two for additional colour on top.
• Remove from oven and set the lasagna on to a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes.
• Slice in to 8 equal sized pieces and serve. Serve with fresh herbs and some grated grana padano. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG