Spinach Lazagne

This meatless lasagne is light and full of healthy ingredients yet makes a very filling and satisfying meal. I generally serve it with a green salad dressed with a tangy vinaigrette and fresh French bread.

Ingredients

• 16oz/450g frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of as much moisture as possible
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 medium onion cut into a medium dice
• 1 TBSP/finely diced garlic
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 heaped tsp dry Italian herbs
• 2 x 15oz/400g canned chopped tomatoes + 1 can of water
• Salt & black pepper
• 2 generous cups/600g cottage cheese
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 TBSP/20g grated parmesan
• 4 eggs
• 1 & 1/2 cup/150g grated mozzarella
• 1/2 cup/50g grated mature white cheddar
• 1 box oven-ready lasagne sheets/noodles

Instructions

The Red Sauce

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, until soft and cooked through.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add in the Italian herbs, canned chopped tomatoes + 1 can of water (fill the chopped tomato can with water) and stir to combine.
4. Turn the heat up, bring the sauce to a boil then turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, taste and correct the seasonings if needed.

The White Sauce

1. In a blender (or in a pitcher using an immersion blender) combine the cottage cheese, white pepper, salt, parmesan, and eggs. Blend until you have a completely smooth liquid (about 30 seconds).

Assembly

1. Lightly oil a 9″/23cm square pan with olive oil.
2. Spoon enough of the red sauce into the pan to just coat the bottom, try to avoid putting in any chunky bits of Tomato.
3. Put in a layer of lasagne sheets.
4. Pour over half of the white sauce.
5. Using your hands, take half the spinach and pinch off small pieces then dot them evenly over the white sauce.
6. Give the whole pan a 1/4 turn, then put on another layer of lasagne sheets.
7. Using a slotted spoon, strain out as much of the chunky bits of tomato in the red sauce as possible and spread evenly over the lasagne sheets.
8. Sprinkle over 2/3 of the cheese.
9. Give the whole pan a 1/4 turn, then put on another layer of lasagne sheets.
10. Pour over the other half of the white sauce.
11. Put the other half of the spinach and pinch off small pieces then dot them evenly over the white sauce.
12. Give the whole pan a 1/4 turn, then put on another layer of lasagne sheets.
13. Pour over the rest of red sauce & sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake & Serve

• Bake in the middle of a preheat 350f/180c oven for 55 minutes or until piping hot all the way through.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting – Serves 4 (easily doubled)

Notes

• This lasagne’s white sauce layer puffs up like a soufflé during baking then deflates during its resting time. You may want to put a baking tray or foil on the bottom of the oven while the lasagne cooks, just in case of any drips.