The Festive Menu- Veggie Christmas Lasagne Recipe

The run up to Christmas is always so exciting! How about getting Christmassy before the big day by putting this tasty vegetarian lasagne on your festive menu? Butternut squash, sprout tops, cheese and cranberry combine to make a satisfying dish with all the flavour of Christmas.

YOU WILL NEED:

Serves 3 (greedy people) or 4 (smaller eaters)

• 1 butternut squash, deseeded and cubed into 2cm cubes
• a few sage leaves finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• a bunch of sprout tops shredded (if you can’t get sprout tops you can use shredded sprouts or savoy cabbage- approximately 400g)
• 1 mozzarella cheese ball (I use reduced fat)
• 60g cheddar (I use reduced fat)
• 2 tablespoons of hazelnuts roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons of passata
• Salt and pepper to season
• 3-4 tablespoons of cranberry jelly or sauce

For the white sauce:

• 1 litre of milk- I use semi skimmed
• 1 bay leaf
• 30g butter
• 50g plain flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a preheated oven (180c/ gas mark 4), toss your squash cubes in a little rapeseed oil (or fry spray) and spread in a good sized baking tray. Add your garlic cloves to the tray and roast until they are soft, or for about 30 minutes.

2.Blance or steam your sprout tops for 5 minutes, then stir-fry in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until wilted, seasoning with pepper as you fry. Take off the heat and stir through your chopped hazelnuts.

3. Now to make your white sauce. Firstly warm your milk in a pan with the bay leaf so that it infuses as it warms.

4. In another medium-sized saucepan, on a low heat, melt your butter. Slowly add the flour to the melted butter, cooking for a minute or two. It will be thick and perhaps a little lumpy at this point- don’t worry!

5. Add a tablespoon of the milk at a time. I use a whisk at this stage as I find it easier to combine the roux. Continue to add the milk until you have a smooth mix, then add the remaining milk (including the bay leaf). Do this very gradually, whisking gently as go.

6. Leave the smooth sauce on a low heat, stirring regularly for a few minutes until it has thickened. Season to taste.

7. Now all of your elements have been prepared the building begins. Using a 23cm x 18cm (you can use a different size – just adjust your layers accordingly so they are nice and full of vegetables) ovenproof dish, begin by making a layer with the passata. Spread evenly on the bottom of your dish. Cover the passata with a layer of the lasagne sheets.

8. Next, using half of your roasted squash, spreading evenly over the pasta. Add a third of your white sauce to this layer and a third of the mozzarella ripped into chunks. Distribute evenly and then cover with another layer of lasagne sheets.

9. The next layer will be the sprout tops and hazelnuts. Distribute evenly and splodge the cranberry sauce on top of the layer of greens. Cover with another layer of lasagne sheets.

10. Continue with the remaining squash, another third of the sauce and mozzarella, then a final layer of lasagne sheets.

11. Complete the lasagne with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and cheddar spread across the top. Season with plenty of pepper.

12. Pop the lasagne in the pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden.

Serve with a fresh, crisp green salad of your choice.

More of our meat free recipes here.