Luscious Lasagna

I'm going for an Italian theme now. Anyone who doesn't like lasagna should have a taste bud transplant. They obviously aren't working for you!

Lasagne

This is a recipe to simplify lasagne. Many people insist on certain ingredients, certain processes, and yes it may change the taste, but it will always taste delicious! You can make your own pasta, you own sauce, your own mock-meat, or you could buy them all. It's up to you!

Equipment: large baking tray (at least 30 x 30 x 10cm, preferably metal, it cooks easier.)

For the Pasta

2 Cups pasta flour (plain flour works, too)
2 teaspoons salt
no-egg equivalent to 3 eggs (orgran)
extra water
extra flour

For the Tomato Sauce

900g tinned tomatoes
2 onions
3 cloves of garlic (or to taste, I like garlic and onion)
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1 capsicum (or any other vegies in the fridge)
small tin of tomato paste
italian herbs (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)
mock meat, fried or roasted (to your preference) and/or tofu (fried and smoked taste best)
oil (for frying)
extra water, boiled
optional: 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the White Sauce

200g plain flour
200g margarine
soymilk, boiled

optional: yeast flakes (to taste), carrot, onion, other vegies to taste

For the Vegetable Layers

Any roast vegies (I like pumpkin, capsicum, eggplant, potato), cut into 5mm slices


Making the Pasta

In a bowl, sieve the flour and salt. Add the egg replacement and stir.
If mixture is like sticky breadcrumbs, perfect. If not add extra flour or water to suit.

Turn out onto a floured bench, roll into a ball (extra flour or liquid may be needed), and using a rolling pin or pasta machine roll to desired thickness (about 1mm).

Cut into strips that will fit your tray (two or three strips per layer cut down cooking time)

Add to salted & oiled boiling water & cook for 3-4 minutes. Rest in warm water or leave to dry.

Making the Tomato Sauce

Sauté the onion. Add the crushed garlic, salt, pepper & italian herbs (if using dried herbs).

Add the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes and some water or vegetable stock, stir.

Add vegies & mock meat (balsamic vinegar and italian herbs if using fresh), cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed. Sauce is cooked when tomatoes have broken down and the bitterness is gone.

Transfer to a jug for easy pouring.

Making the White Sauce

Melt margarine in a large saucepan (it needs to hold the soymilk, too).

Add the flour, and stir until mixture doesn't taste of flour any more. It may brown off while you are doing this, and it tastes better when it does.

Add the soymilk slowly, always stirring the mixture and remove all lumps.

When it starts to thicken, transfer to a jug for easy pouring.

Compiling the Lasagna

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Oil the tray, add a layer of tomato sauce.

Add a layer of pasta.

Add tomato sauce, and one of the roast vegies.

Add a layer of white sauce.

Repeat.

For the top layer, don't put any vegies in. Add vegan cheese (it's not needed with the white sauce, but it tastes good!) and cook for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with a green garden salad.