Andy Waters helped put the Midlands on the gastronomic map when he won a Michelin star in 2003 for Edmunds. The award came within six months of opening and the restaurant went on to be named restaurant of the year by Harden’s Guide.

A vegetarian lasagne recipe is good to have on hand, and this one from Andy Waters would make an excellent dinner for Meatless Mondays. Tasty, vitamin-rich kale mingles with creamy ricotta and cherry tomatoes for a delicious dish well-suited for adults and kids. Serve this lasagne on its own, or have it with fresh salad or homemade garlic bread.

 

Vegetarian lasagne

 

VEGETARIAN LASAGNE

 

COOKING TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS

LASAGNE FILLING

  • 500g of curly kale
  • 520g of onion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of black pepper

WHITE SAUCE

  • 25g of butter
  • 30g of flour
  • 275ml of skimmed milk

LASAGNE

  • 8 sheets of lasagne pasta
  • 120g of ricotta
  • 300g of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 180g of half fat mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tbsp of olive oil

 

METHOD

1
Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Grease a baking dish with a little olive oil for the lasagne.
  • 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
2
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until golden.
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 520g of onion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
3
Stir in the kale, salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes or until the kale wilts and softens. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • 500g of curly kale
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of black pepper
4
For the white sauce, add the butter to a saucepan over a medium heat. As soon as the butter begins to foam, stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds.
  • 25g of butter
  • 30g of flour
5
Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously. Bring back to the boil and cook until the sauce thickens.
  • 275ml of skimmed milk
6
Spoon a thin layer of white sauce into a suitably sized baking dish. Top with 1 layer of lasagne sheets, making sure the sheets don’t overlap. Season with a pinch of salt.
  • 8 sheets of lasagne pasta
  • 1 pinch of salt
7
Spread half the ricotta over the pasta to create another layer. Add half the kale and tomatoes, then cover with sauce.
  • 300g of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 60g of ricotta
8
Sprinkle with mozzarella and repeat until all the ingredients have been used up. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes.
  • 180g of half fat mozzarella, shredded
  • 60g of ricotta
9
Remove from the oven, divide into portions and serve immediately.