VERY VEGGIE LASAGNE

INGREDIENTS TOMATO SAUCE:

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped finely 1 carrot, chopped finely 2 celery sticks, chopped finely 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs 600g British classic tomatoes, roughly chopped 300ml vegetable stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper

LASAGNE:

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks 1 red onion, cut into wedges 1 yellow or red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks 1 courgette, cut into chunks 1 tbsp olive oil 20 British cherry tomatoes, halved 1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced 6-8 lasagne sheets

CHEESE SAUCE:

450ml milk 40g plain flour 30g butter 125g mature Cheddar, grated Garnish: thyme leaves

METHOD

1 For the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 8-10 minutes, until very soft. Add the herbs and tomatoes and fry for another few minutes, then add the vegetable stock. Heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes until reduced and thickened. Puree in a blender, or use a hand-held stick blender. Season, then set aside. 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/ Gas Mark 6. 3 Put the sweet potatoes, red onion, pepper and courgette into a large roasting tin with the olive oil. Season and toss to coat. Roast for 25 minutes, until tender. 4 Add the cherry tomatoes and chilli, then stir in the tomato sauce. 5 To make the cheese sauce, put the milk, flour and butter into a saucepan and heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in half the grated cheese. Season. 6 Tip half the vegetable mixture into a large rectangular baking dish, measuring about 25x20cm. Arrange half the lasagne sheets on top, then spread half the cheese sauce over them. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the surface. 7 Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cooked and golden brown. Allow to stand for a few minutes, then serve. 8 Try using different seasonal vegetables, such as butternut squash, aubergine, leeks and mushrooms with British tomatoes.