Rich and Delicious Vegetarian Lasagna

I had the best vegetarian lasagna at a little restaurant in Regina.  I loved it and as I poked through to see what was in it, I realized it was filled with a lot of mushrooms.  I love mushrooms.

I wanted to make something like it at home today and I decided to go all out.  I made the ricotta.  You can find the recipe here.

I made pasta from scratch.  The recipe I used was from one of my favourite cookbooks, "Menus from an Orchard Table" by Heidi Noble out of the Okanagan in British Columbia.  She and her husband have a vineyard.  She is a chef and began by offering cooking classes at the farm.  Now she is full time into the winery.

This is my version of vegetarian lasagna.

Vegetarian Lasagna

1 lb mushrooms
1 red bell pepper
1 large yellow onion
8 asparagus spears
2 cups tomato sauce
beet greens or kale
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup ricotta
pasta sheets
6 ounces smoked gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the mushrooms in butter and olive oil until soft.  Cool.  Cut the onion into a medium dice and saute in butter and olive oil until carmelized.  Roast the red pepper, peel and slice into strips.  Steam the beet tops and the asparagus.  Cool.

Layer in a casserole or loaf pan starting with a sheet of fresh pasta or dried pasta cooked al dente.  Then add some of the carmelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a layer of beet leaves.  Top with 1/2 cup of ricotta and then another sheet of pasta.  Top with about 1 cup of tomato sauce.

Build another layer beginning with  onions and mushrooms and a layer of asparagus spears.  Top with more ricotta cheese, pasta sheet and a cup of tomato sauce.  Top with 1 cup of grated smoked gruyere, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan and strips of fire roasted red peppers.

Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until bubbling and nicely browned on top.