This hearty casserole layers roasted vegetables and Mutti Whole Cherry Tomatoes with a rich blend of ricotta, Fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano. The tomatoes add a bright, gently tangy contrast to the creamy cheeses and savoury vegetables, creating a colourful and satisfying dish with plenty of depth and texture.
1
To roast the vegetables, preheat oven to 425° F.
2
Line four large baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray each with non-stick cooking spray.
3
Combine the mushrooms and leeks in a medium bowl and toss with one tablespoon of the olive oil. In another bowl, toss the Mutti® Cherry Tomatoes with another tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange together but separately on one of the prepared baking sheets. Season lightly, if desired, with salt and pepper. Slice the top off the head of the garlic so that some of the cloves are exposed and place it cut side down in the corner of the baking sheet with the leek mushroom mixture.
4
Next, arrange the eggplant slices on the second baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the remaining vegetables on the last two baking sheets, brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5
Roast the vegetables, two trays at a time about 25 minutes or until they are tender and golden brown on edges, stirring leeks and mushrooms halfway through. Remove vegetables from oven and set aside to cool. When garlic is cool enough to handle, remove roasted cloves and finely chop.
6
Then, melt butter in large saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in bay leaf, chopped roasted garlic and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season as desired with salt and pepper.
8
Now, to make the lasagne preheat oven to 425° F.
9
Combine ricotta, egg, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, roasted leeks and mushrooms in a bowl.
10
Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place 3 lasagna noodles side by side on top of sauce, arrange the roasted pepper strips evenly over the noodles and sprinkle 1 cup of the fontina evenly over them. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and then spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles. Next, top with zucchini slices, another cup of sauce, and half of remaining Parmesan cheese.
11
Arrange 3 more noodles, the roasted Mutti® Cherry Tomatoes and then another cup of sauce. Layer another 3 lasagna noodles and then evenly spread the remaining ricotta mixture on top. Arrange the eggplant slices and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Top the lasagna with the last 3 three noodles and spread remaining sauce over the top to cover. Sprinkle with remaining Fontina cheese.
12
Cover lasagna with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown. Let lasagna rest 15 minutes before serving.
This roasted vegetable lasagna is built with tender eggplant, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms and leeks, layered with ricotta, Fontina and Parmigiano Reggiano. Roasting the vegetables first brings out their natural sweetness and gives the dish a deeper, more savoury flavour.
Mutti Cherry Tomatoes add juicy texture and a fresh tomato note that balances the richness of the cheese sauce. Roasting them concentrates their flavour while keeping enough acidity to lift the creamy ricotta, Fontina and béchamel-style sauce.
Generous and colourful, this vegetable lasagna recipe is ideal for family dinners, relaxed gatherings or any occasion that calls for comforting oven-baked food. Let the lasagna rest before slicing so the layers hold together and the flavours have time to settle.
