In the mood for the perfect cheesy comfort food? Look no further than this mouthwatering Vegetarian Lasagne Cake. With decadent layers of fresh ricotta, char-grilled red capsicums and warming pumpkin you’ll definitely be going back for seconds.
Vegetarian Lasagne Cake
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
60g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2½ cups low-fat milk
65g provolone piccante, grated
150g piece pumpkin, peeled and deseeded
20g butter (extra)
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch English spinach, leaves
5 fresh lasagne sheets
150g fresh ricotta
40g parmesan, finely grated
3 char-grilled red capsicums (purchased)
Method
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir through flour until smooth. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbling. Remove from heat and slowly add milk, stirring constantly until well combined. Return to heat and stir constantly until mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Add provolone and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and cover surface with baking paper to prevent a skin forming.
- Cut pumpkin into thin slices and put in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tbsp water. Microwave on high for 3–5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.
- Heat butter (extra) in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add mushroom and cook, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a large plate.
- Wash spinach leaves in a colander. Put in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 1 minute or until wilted. Drain and plunge into ice-cold water. Drain and squeeze with hands to remove water.
- Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm round springform cake pan. Spread a few spinach leaves over base of pan. Top with 1 sheet lasagne and trim where needed. Build layers as follows: remaining spinach, a quarter ricotta, 1 tbsp parmesan, ¼ cup sauce, 1 sheet lasagne, pumpkin, a quarter ricotta, 1 tbsp parmesan, ¼ cup sauce, 1 sheet lasagne, mushroom, a quarter ricotta, 1 tbsp parmesan, ¼ cup sauce, 1 sheet lasagne, capsicum, remaining ricotta, 1 tbsp parmesan, ¼ cup sauce and 1 sheet lasagne. Pour remaining sauce over pasta and sprinkle remaining parmesan.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes. Stand for 10 minutes before releasing clamp. Serve.