Preparing the traditional meat lasagne is quite time-consuming, with first the two different sauces, and then assembling it all together. I must say I’ve given it up altogether as it’s quite heavy as well. For a much lighter version, this has become my all-time favourite lasagne recipe, which, thanks to the crunchy bits of vegetables, gives a mouthfeel and texture just for my liking. What’s more, preparing this dish takes considerably less time, too. Good for any season really but tasted especially good today, on a chilly and wet autumn day. Nice, nice and tasty – to borrow one of my late mother-in-law’s favourite sayings!

FOR THE VEGETABLE SAUCE

• 2 tbs oil
• 1-2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed (or chopped)
• 1 small gourgette, cut into pieces
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into pieces
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tin (400 g) of chopped tomatoes (possibly the variety with herbs)
• 2 dl water
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 tbs honey
• 2-3 tbs soy sauce
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• oregano (or other favourite herbs – dried or fresh)
• 2-3 tbs brown maize thickener

Apart from the onion, I don’t chop the vegetables too small, not to lose the texture. Heat the oil on the bottom of a sauce pan, add all the vegetables and fry them for a while over a medium heat. Add the tin of tomatoes, water, stock cube and all the spices. Cook over medium heat for about 10 mins. Add the maize thickener and set aside.

FOR THE WHITE SAUCE 

• 400 g cottage cheese (the Finnish variety has its own lovely, “squeaky” consistency)
• 2 dl crème fraîche
• 1 egg
• herbal salt
• lemon pepper

In a bowl, simply mix all the ingredients together with a spoon.

TO MAKE THE LASAGNE

• 12 sheets of full grain lasagne
• 100 g cheese (I use emmental)
• a lasagne dish (mine is  20 x 28 cm

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.

2. Cover the bottom of the dish with a little bit of the vegetable sauce. Then follow with 3 lasagne sheet, a good layer of vegetable sauce, and a few spoonfuls of the white sauce. Add two more similar layers, finishing with the rest of the white sauce to cover the whole surface. Sprinkle the grated emmental on top.

3. Cook for 1 hour. Half way through, cover with foil to avoid drying the cheese too much.

Ecco!

BUON APPETITO!

PS. Tastes really good warmed up even on the following day!