By Julie Goodwin

Serving size: Serves 8
Cuisine type: Italian
Cooking time: More than 1 hour
Special options: Vegetarian
Course: Main
Favourite flavours: Pasta

Vegetable lasagne

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large (400g) brown onion, grated
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium (240g) carrots, grated
2 medium (600g) eggplants, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
2 medium (240g) zucchini, cut into 1cm cubes
3 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
80g butter
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) milk
3 cups (360g) grated cheddar cheese
1 packet (250g) dried lasagne sheets
1 cup (100g) grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic until translucent (4-5 minutes). Add carrot, eggplant and zucchini; mix together. Add undrained tomatoes, sugar and salt. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, over a gentle heat for about 40 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and eggplant and zucchini are very soft. Add a little water if it is drying out too much before the flavours are rich. The sauce should be fairly thick and not too wet.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Oil a 28cm square (14-cup capacity) ovenproof dish.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook, stirring, for
1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Add 21/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Season to taste with salt.
4. Spread half the vegetable mixture in base of prepared dish (Step 1, left). Top with one-third of cheese sauce, then place single layer of lasagne sheets over the top (Step 2). Repeat layers, ending with remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese, mozzarella and parmesan (Step 3).
5. Bake for about 40 minutes or until top is golden and the pasta soft.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

This recipe first appeared in the August 2011 issue of The Australian Women's Weekly. Photography by John Paul Urizar. Styling by Michaela Le Compte.