Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce (or Bechamel Sauce)

Step 1

Peel and finely chop the shallots and the garlic. Keep separately.

Step 2

Clean the vegetables. Cut the carrots, bell peppers, zucchini into small cubes. Set aside in a bowl. Divide the broccoli into small florets and chop the broccoli stem into small cubes as well.

Step 3

If using mushrooms, wipe them clean with kitchen paper and slice them thinly. Set aside separated from the other vegetables.

Step 4

Defrost the peas.

Step 5

Chop the mozzarella into cubes and grate the Parmesan. Set aside separately.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 7

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Cook the shallots until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the sugar and stir for another minute or until slightly caramelized.

Step 8

Add the chopped vegetables, except the mushrooms, and cook for about 8 minutes or until softer. Stir well a few times in between.

Step 9

Add the chopped tomatoes, water, dried herbs, and lemon juice. Stir well, bring to a boil and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Step 10

In the meantime, cook the mushrooms, if using. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry the mushrooms until golden and until all the juices they have released are evaporated.

Step 11

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir for 1 or 2 minutes until lightly golden. Slowly start adding the milk while whisking all the time to avoid the formation of clumps.

Step 12

Let the sauce simmer for 2 or 3 minutes while whisking or stirring continuously. Adjust the taste with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Step 13

Butter a rectangular casserole dish of about 30x20 cm/ 12x 8 inches.

Step 14

You should have 3 layers of noodles and you should finish with a layer of Parmesan.

Step 15

Place a few tablespoons white sauce to the prepared casserole dish. Spread them all over the bottom of the dish.

Step 16

Add some lasagna sheets. I can use 3 sheets for each layer, but use as many as they fit in one single layer without overlapping.

Step 17

Cover with 1/3 of the vegetable sauce. Add ½ of the mozzarella and 1/3 of the hard cheese on top. Cover with white sauce.

Step 18

Repeat twice. End with the last layer of grated hard cheese.

Step 19

Bake the lasagna in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Check if the noodles are cooked through by inserting a fork into the lasagna.

Step 20

Leave to rest for about 10 minutes, cut into 12 squares, and serve with a green salad.