4

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Salams my fellow cooks, hope alls well..I was planning on posting a recipe last Friday but ended up with a massive migraine and needed to sleep that off. To be honest although I love Lasagne I’m a bit lazy to make it 😳 and the fact that hubby doesn’t eat cheese and the girls are not to keen on mince meat always puts lasagne making on a back burner.  I love Veggies and so do the girls so why not a vegetable lasagne.  This one is loaded with lovely colourful veggies and makes you feel like summer is on its way. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the filling:

1 large courgette (sliced thick)

1 red pepper (cut into large chunks)

1 green pepper (cut into large chunks)

Half yellow pepper (cut into large chunks)

1 small aubergine – optional (cut into large cubes) 

1 large red onion (cut into chunks)

12-15 Olives (chopped)

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

Salt and pepper

1 tspn mixed herbs 

1 tbsp capers (optional)

Half a jar pasta sauce (any you like)

Half a tin chopped tomatoes

Lasagne sheets (no pre-cook)

For the Cheese Sauce:

40 g butter

2 tbsp plain flour

1 pint milk

Handful grated cheddar cheese (any you prefer)

Salt and pepper to taste

More grated cheddar cheese for the topping

METHOD:

In a large baking tray arrange the chopped vegetables and drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper, mixed herbs and garlic.  Toss all this together so all the vegetables are coated with the seasoning.  Bake in the oven on gas mark 4 (180) for about 30 minutes until the veg is slightly brown.

Once the vegetables are roasted put them in a saucepan and to that add the pasta sauce and the chopped tinned tomatoes.  Also add the olives and capers. Taste again for seasoning and add if necessary. Cook this on medium heat on cooker for around 7-10 minutes.

In the meantime make up the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk the plain flour into the milk until there’s no lumps.  Once the butter has melted pour the milk into the saucepan and heat on medium heat until the sauce has thickened.  Keep stirring all the while while sauce is thickening. Add the handful of grated cheese and let that melt into the sauce, add salt and pepper as required.

Now all the components are ready we can start layering. On the bottom of a large rectangle Pyrex dish spread a couple of tbsp of the cheese sauce. Arrange the lasagne sheets and spread another couple of tbsp of cheese sauce on top of the sheets.  Spread the vegetable filling on top, you can also sprinkle some grated cheese and then another layer of lasagne sheets and repeat this one more time. On the last layer of lasagne sheets pour more cheese sauce and sprinkle some grated cheese and mixed herbs or oregano.  Bake in oven on gas mark 4 (180) for 30 minutes until the top is slightly golden and the lasagne sheets are cooked. I prefer mine soft so take it out before it’s too golden. This is lovely with a side salad.

TIP: You can make this in advance and cover with cling film, this softens the lasagne sheets and results in a lovely soft lasagne. This dish can also be frozen so if there’s a lot of filling then just make up a foil container and freeze for a lazy day.

This recipe has been adapted from Delia Online.

Any questions please feel free to ask.

Enjoy 😋
  The vegetables all prepped and chopped ready for the oven

  The roasted vegetables just out the oven

  First Layer of the lasagne sheets and filling

  Second layer, you can sprinkle grated cheese on top too
  The last layer before the cheese goes on
  All layered and ready to go in the oven

  Baked and ready

  A moist slice of lasagne with some salad 

8

Chicken & Gravy Pie 

Pies are so versatile…you can always make an extra dish or two and freeze them for a later date when you can’t be bothered to cook or just had a busy day in general.  Pies also for me is like a comfort food. This chicken and gravy pie is a family fave, easy to rustle up and like I mentioned easy to freeze. The angel spaghetti used in this is exactly that…super thin and doesn’t get in the way of all the other lovely ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken fillet (cubed small pieces)
1 medium chopped onion
2 tbsp butter
1 tspn Salt
1 tspn coarse black pepper
Handful of coriander
2 green chillies 
1 tspn ginger 
3 tbsp tomato purée
Bisto gravy granules (red container) 
Capelli d’angelo (angel hair spaghetti)
Ready rolled puff pastry
METHOD:
In a medium sized pot melt the butter and add the chopped onions, cook on medium heat until the onions have softened.
Add the cubed chicken pieces with the tomato purée, salt and pepper.
Blend the coriander, green chillies and ginger in a food processor and add to the chicken mixture and stir until well combined.
Let all this cook together until moisture has evaporated and chicken is cooked.
Separately boil a quarter packet of the capelli d’angelo spaghetti (according to instruction on pack) and then add this to the chicken mixture.
Make up around a litre of gravy (according to instructions) and also add this to the chicken mix and stir well until all the mixture is mixed properly. If the mixture looks dry make up some more gravy and add.
Pour the mix into a rectangle Pyrex dish and layer with puff pastry. Poke holes into the puff pastry with a fork and brush with egg.
Bake in oven gas mark 4/5 or electric oven 160 until the puff pastry is golden.
Roast potatoes are great as a side with this pie.

Enjoy 😊

 Chicken cooked with the coriander, chilli, ginger and tomato purée

 The pie filling with the angel spaghetti and gravy mixed in 

  Pour the Mix into an ovenproof dish

  Top the filling with Ready rolled Puff Pastry and brush with the beaten egg 

  Sprinkle some sesame seeds and it’s ready to be baked 

  Bake in oven at gas mark 4/5 or electric 160