ROASTED VEGETABLE, PESTO AND RICOTTA LOAF PAN LASAGNE

THE SHORTCUT I use shop-bought frozen chargrilled vegetables as they’re tasty and somebody else stood at the griddle achieving that tantalising smoky charred flavour so you don’t have to. I love a cheesy sauce layer and I don’t want to forgo that, so I make this one by combining ricotta, double cream and two types of cheese – it’s deliciously creamy and gooey.

SERVES 2 PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOK TIME: 45 MINS

olive oil, for greasing

250g frozen chargrilled vegetables, defrosted

1 garlic clove, grated

400g tin green lentils, drained 350g jar tomato pasta sauce 2 tbsp pesto

3-6 lasagne sheets salt and freshly ground black pepper

large green salad, to serve

FOR THE CHEESE LAYER

250g ricotta

75ml double cream

50g parmesan, finely grated 75g grated mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease and line a 900g loaf pan with a long strip of baking parchment. Set aside.

Pat the chargrilled vegetables with paper towels to remove any excess water, then tip into a large bowl with the garlic, lentils,

tomato sauce, pesto and plenty of seasoning and gently stir to combine.

For the ricotta cheese layer, in a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, cream, most of the parmesan and most of the mozzarella. Season very well.

Spoon about one quarter of the vegetable mixture into the prepared loaf pan, add a layer of ricotta cheese sauce, then top with lasagne sheets to cover all the sauce (one whole sheet, plus one

quarter of a second, broken to fit). Repeat the layering until you have used all the ingredients, finishing with a layer of vegetable mixture followed by cheese sauce.

Sprinkle the reserved mozzarella and parmesan over the top.

Cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbling and the pasta is tender when tested with a knife. Slice and serve with the green salad.