Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne

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This vegetarian lasagne is packed full of Mediterranean vegetables, and is 'posh' enough to be served up as a dinner party meal. You can roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes if you prefer, but I find that frying makes the aubergine more tender. 

Serves 4-6

• 1 large aubergine/eggplant
• 1 large courgette/zucchini
• 1 onion
• 1 red and 1 green bell pepper
• 100g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• A glug of red wine (optional)
• 100ml boiling water
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano/basil/mixed herbs or 1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs
• Black pepper to taste
• Dried lasagne sheets
• 1 portion of cheese sauce
• 100g/4oz grated or sliced mozzarella

Chop the vegetables into roughly equal sized chunks (2.5cm x 2.5cm).
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan.
Add the aubergine and cook on a medium-high heat for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and golden brown. 
Add the remaining vegetables and 1 tbsp of olive oil, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, wine, water, garlic, herbs, black pepper and sugar.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, with the lid on the pan.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce.

Spoon a little of the cheese sauce into the bottom of a large heat-proof baking dish.
Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. Top with half of the vegetable sauce and cover with another layer of lasagne. Repeat.
Top the pasta with the remaining cheese sauce and top with some grated/sliced mozzarella.
Bake for 60 minutes at 160C/150C Fan/Gas 3/350F, until bubbling and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Suitable for freezing.

Alternatives:  If your children don't like big chunks of veg, dice them up small and reduce the frying and baking times slightly.
Use any combination of seasonal vegetables, or even tinned/frozen veg, for budget meal.

For a vegan open lasagne, simmer the vegetable sauce in the pan until cooked. Layer this up between sheets of boiled egg-free lasagne. Top with a sprinkle of dairy-free Parmesan substitute.