EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND SPINACH LASAGNE

Serves 6-8

800g zucchini, trimmed

500g finger eggplants, trimmed Olive oil, for frying

600g fresh ricotta

300ml cream

¾ cup grated parmesan, plus

extra for serving

Ground sea salt and cracked black pepper

500g frozen spinach, thawed 400g jar grilled vegetable pasta sauce

250g instant lasagne sheets 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1. Use a mandolin or cut zucchini and eggplant into 5mm-thick strips. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add enough eggplant and zucchini strips to fit in pan. Cook for about 2 minutes each side or until lightly golden. Remove and lay flat on a plate. Repeat, cooking remaining strips in minimal oil.

2. Whisk together ricotta, cream and half a cup of the parmesan until well combined. Season. Reserve 300g of the ricotta mixture for the top. Put spinach in a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Pull spinach into small pieces and then add to the remaining ricotta mixture. Stir to combine. Season.

3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 32 x 22cm (12-cup capacity) oven-proof dish. Reserve 8 strips of eggplant for the top. Spread ⅓ of the jar of pasta sauce over the base of dish. Top with a single layer of lasagne sheets. Spread ½ of the spinach ricotta mixture over lasagne. Top with half of the zucchini and eggplant strips. Repeat with another layer of pasta sauce, lasagne sheets, spinach ricotta mixture, zucchini, eggplant, pasta sauce then lasagne sheets.

4. Spread reserved ricotta mixture over lasagne and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with reserved eggplant strips and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and remaining parmesan.

5. Loosely cover with a piece of greased foil, trying not to touch mozzarella, and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden. Stand for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with extra parmesan. Cut into pieces and serve.