It makes such a perfect meal with its ingredients. It definitely is one of my favourites! When I am in a mood to finish the kitchen work as quickly as possible with least amount of labour hours, this preparation is my first choice always. Hardly takes 30 - 45 minutes and is perfectly filling. The best part is, any vegetables taste great in it.
A little back-ground check on this dish;
Lasagna is a wide, flat pasta shape and possibly one of the oldest. As with most other types of pasta, the word is a plural form, lasagne meaning more than one piece of lasagna ribbon. The word also refers to a dish made with this type of pasta in several layers interspersed with layers of various ingredients and sauces, typically including ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, meat (e.g., ground beef or pork), and in some cases, spinach, that is then baked in the oven. Lasagne is typically flavoured with wine, garlic, onion, and oregano.
PREP TIME TOTAL TIME SERVINGS | 20 - 25 Minutes 45 - 50 Minutes 2 portions |
QUANTITY 12 - 14 , spinach, wheat or regular 2 tbsp 500 gms, french beans, sweetcorn, carrots, peas, mushrooms, crumbled paneer and any meat 300 - 400 ml 75 - 100 gms, fresh, grated |
In a big casserole, fill it 3/4th with water and bring it to boil. Add 2 tbsp oil and salt to the water and drop the lasagna in it. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes maximum on a full flame.
Drain the noodles in a strained and run cold water over them. While running the water, separate the noodles gently, so that they don't stick to each other.
Be careful to not leave the noodles just the way they are, in the strainer, as they would definitely stick together and tear apart later. Do not allow them to sit in the strainer, folded and overlapping.
Placing the lasagna under cold water, will remove most of its heat and stop any further cooking.
Preheat the oevn to 180 degrees centigrade
Rub some more olive oil on all the spread noodles, and layer them with the 2nd noodle on top. Cover with a cling foil and set aside till the rest of the preparations are done.
Finely chop the onions. Slice the capsicum and mushrooms. Crumble the paneer. And if you are using frozen spinach, allow it to thaw.
Place the sets (2 overlapping) of lasagna noodles on the pasta sauce, covering it completely. Use half of the vegetables and spread them well on the noodles.
Pour another ladle full of sauce on the last layer of the noodles and spread it well.
MY NOTES
* Incase you are using frozen vegetables, they need to be cooked a little longer. But if you are using fresh vegetables, par-boil them for atleast 10 minutes in salted water and then sauté.
P.S. If you want to use béchamel sauce, add a layer of it above the sauce-vegetable mixture on every layer.