At the beginning of summer last year our property care taker Rick was telling me about the bad experience that he had with a volunteers that come up each summer from an international volunteer program. He spoke of young people who were lazy and always partying. I was worried. Our summer calendar was full and I did not need to babysit or clean up after some lazy kids. They were also supposed to use my kitchen on the weekends to cook their meals. I had visions of a messy kitchen with my lovely equipment broken or missing. Needless to say I was very concerned.
I can happily say that the group of international volunteers that came last summer proved all of Ricks dire predictions completely wrong.
Last summer we were given a wonderful group of volunteers from all over the world. One of young people really made an impact on all of the staff at Cal-Wood. Rocky came to us from London England where he is an engineering student. Rocky was always in a good mood and always smiling. If you needed a hand with anything he was there and worked tirelessly the whole time he was with us. All of the volunteers worked hard and were a joy to have at Cal-Wood.
Sometimes it is hard to get to know people for short periods of time and then they move on and you do not hear from them again. Not with Rocky! He keeps in touch with many of the staff members at Cal-Wood and is planning to come back this summer. He also reads this blog and has cooked some of my recipes at home. This makes me very happy and is the very reason I write this blog.
Rocky asked me if he could have the recipe for my Roasted Veggie Lasagna.
Here is the recipe for Rocky and we are all looking forward to seeing him and meeting our new volunteers this summer. No matter what Rick has to say.
Fire Roasted Veggie Lasagna
For the sauce
1 425g (15oz )can of good quality diced tomatoes
1 425g (15oz) can of fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen but you can use regular tomatoes)
2 170g (6oz) cans tomato paste
2 garlic cloves minced finely (Here is a good video link from another of my favorite Brits, Jamie Oliver on how to mince garlic)
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbs good olive oil
1 tbs sugar
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Add olive oil to a large pot and heat at medium high. Add garlic when oil is hot and cook for 30 seconds or until you can smell the garlic cooking. Cook garlic over medium heat. About thirty seconds will do the trick. This is just enough time to cook off the rawness, allow the flavor to mellow into the dish. Add tomatoes immediately. I usually have cans open and ready when I add the garlic. Add wine, tomato paste, sugar, chili pepper and 1 cup water.
Simmer for 15 minutes and season to taste and set aside.
For the veggie mixture
Cut 2 medium zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut 1 red onion into thirds lengthwise. Cut 3 sweet red bell peppers in half and remove seeds.
Marinate veggies in a splash of balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic minced and salt and pepper.
After marinating veggies for 15-20 minutes heat your grill to hot and add veggies. Grill veggies until they have good grill marks but they do not need to be fully cooked. The peppers can be roasted on the stove top directly over your gas flame if needed. Clean the black bits mostly off the peppers after they have cooled.
Pour marinade back over the cooked veggies. Never do this with raw meat marinade.
After veggies are cooled cut to desired thickness. My hubby like the veggies cut finely but I like a medium dice.
The ricotta cheese mixture.
1 2lb tub of whole milk ricotta cheese (or you can make it with this delightful recipe from David Lebovitz via Simply Recipes)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup good quality parmesan cheese grated
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp basil
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together well with whisk or spoon. You can also whip the mixture on your stand mixer until light and fluffy.
For the noodles…
I use Barilla no boil lasagna noodles. If you cannot get these noodles in your area then boil your noodles and drain well before assembling the lasagna.
Many restaurant cooks simply soak the raw lasagna noodles in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften them and then use them in the dish as is. I boil mine,when using traditional lasagna noodles, but the trick to this, and to cooking any pasta, is to use plenty of well salted water, and keep the noodles moving by stirring until it returns to a boil. This keeps water circulating around the full noodle surface so that the starch on the surface of the individual noodles can set, which keeps them from sticking together. Make sure to rinse in cold water after draining and this will help minimize the stickiness of the noodles.
Ready, Set, Assemble!
Now is the time to assemble all of the lovely ingredients you have worked hard to get together and make yourself a wonderful lasagna.
Get your sauce, ricotta mixture, veggie mixture (diced to taste), cooked or no boil noodles and 1/2 cup heavy cream together as well as a casserole style baking dish.
Add 1/2 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. Spread out and lay enough noodles to cover bottom of pan in single layer.
Add ricotta mixture about 2 cups on top of noodles.
Add another noodle layer.
Now you add 1/2 cup sauce and 2 cups of the veggie mixture as the next layer.
Add the next noodle layer.
Top with 1/2 cup sauce, 1/2 cup heavy cream drizzled over the top and cover tightly with foil.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the sauce begins to thicken and reduce and the lasagna begins to puff slightly.
Remove the foil layer and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the lasagna. I use about 1 1/2 cups good quality whole milk mozzarella.
Put back in the oven at 450 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and set.
Let the lasagna rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting. Better yet make the lasagna a day ahead and let sit overnight in the fridge and warm in the oven at 350 degrees (covered in foil) for 30 minutes or until internal read thermometer reads 145 degrees in the center. The flavors of a lasagna are best the next day!
Let rest before cutting.
Uncooked lasagna freezes great so make 2 ro 3 and freeze them for later. If you are going through all the trouble why not make more than one dinner.
Here is a comprehensive list of what you need to pick up at the store:
1 box of no boil lasagna noodles or traditional lasagna noodles.
1 2lb tub of whole milk ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
Parmesan cheese grated
Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 425g (15oz )can of good quality diced tomatoes
1 425g (15oz) can of fire roasted tomatoes (I use Muir Glen but you can use regular tomatoes)
2 170g (6oz) cans tomato paste
2 garlic cloves
1 tbs sugar
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
Olive oil
2 medium zucchini
1 large red onion
3 sweet red bell peppers
heavy whipping cream or double cream
balsamic vinegar or red wine
Always like a tale where people prove the basic goodness of humans.
Yes! Rocky is a good person!
This looks positively delicious. No wonder Rocky asked for the recipe and I’m glad he did! Thank you for sharing it with all of us;)
Its a long one but well worth it!
This looks amazing!!!! Thanks! I can’t wait to make this.
Let me know how it turns out!
Thank you so much Connie! This is by far the best Lasagne I ever had. I definitely gonna try this tomorrow. Something which is going to motivate me during this exam time
Already feeling hungry now…
Yay Rocky! Are you coming back this summer….I think all my blogging friends have a crush on you now…..
doubtlessly, it was the best lasagne in the world!
I miss You and Your food Connie. Congrats on Your blog, I love its spirit and I love Your writing.
Thanks my friend!
A nice post and an excellent looking lasagna! Happy Monday!
Happy Monday for you.
It’s great that your food provides not only for the community but their efforts are appreciated by you. Lasagne is an absolute favourite, no fail, always tasty! No wonder Rocky’s heading back cause he clearly loves your cooking!
Thank you!
Looks so good! Terrific for a large crowd!
Very nice for a large crowd because you can make it ahead and freeze it un cooked!
Lasagna is a family favorite and I love the idea of using grilled vegetables. I have non meat eating friends coming for dinner this week and this would be great to serve them.
Let me know if you do!
Oh gosh, that looks delicious! We can all thank Rocky
!
Yes!
WOW! What a recipe! This looks absolutely delicious! Love the use of grilled veggies in a lasagne!
You say potato….I love to get jiggy with lasagna, mushrooms and goat cheese, roasted butternut squash, ground lamb and mint…you name it!
What a lovely story.
Thanks!
Hey, Connie – have you decided on a category for the Potluck?
It’s the best when one can expect good things from people and aren’t let down.. or expect the worst and have a wonderful surprise! Yay for Rocky.. now we have the recipe too!
Hopefully I can get Rocky to snap a picture when he makes the lasagna and I will post it for all. We are usually lucky with volunteers. I think it has to do with how you treat them and perhaps the troublesome groups were not treated so hot! I hear the last chef in this kitchen used to yell at everyone…..
This lasagna sounds delicious — I might even be able to tolerate the zucchini under such camouflage — or I could just substitute eggplant.
Eggplant works wonderful.
Connie, that sounds wonderful! I might have to experiment with making them pint-sized for the freezer…
It is a great recipe for freezing. Just get whatever size container you need. Cheers!
Hi there, just discovered your lovely blog! I love it and will look forward to getting to know it more in the future!
Thank you for visiting. Please let me know if there is anything specific you would like to see covered. Cheers!
I absolutely love it when young people surprise me like that. Sometimes, just when I think that my students are disasters, they turn around and become amazing!
I also use the no-boil lasagna sheets. I like the texture, actually. Sometimes, I will swish them in boiling water before layering them. I think it helps to control how much sauce they absorb . . .
At home I use no boil at the kitchen I get fresh egg pasta sheets. Sometimes I make my own at home too. Cheers
I always think that lasagne needs meat, but your veggies marinated in balsamic has me very intrigued. I may have to put this recipe in front of Corby.
This recipe is great with some yummy fresh ground lamb and then changethe sauce with some bechamel sauce maybe 1/3 bechamel in the tomato and then add some mint or sage…it is to die for. Or even some shredded slow cooked lamb leg. I could go on for days…
Please. No, stop. I can’t take it.
I love a good lasagne recipe I can make ahead of time. I am bookmarking this! I have a beach gathering, lasting a week, in a few months. I have to feed 45 people!!!! This is now on the menu.
For the beach you can add some seafood and reduce the amount of tomato and replace it with bechemel. Maybe….? I love seafood while on the beach!
What a great story! I love roasted veggies all by themselves, but in a lasagna sounds absolutely delicious. Have a lovely week
It is a great way to lighten lasagna. Have a great week yourself!
I know it sounds crazy, but I love recipes like this with so many components. I love creating each individual part and then putting them all together for one amazing recipe. I might be using your recipe for my next lasagna night, and just figure out a vegan sub for the ricotta cheese!
Yea, me too….I tend to go a bit too complicated at times. You can just omit the ricotta and use maybe a cauliflower puree with garlic and an olive oil emulsion to replicate the creamy cheese…Kinda like a aioli. Just go light cause it will be stong.
Your volunteers sound fantastic. Me being the ONLY volunteer around here makes them sound even more fantastic. they must have just loved your food.. because this sounds fantastic c
We are lucky here at Cal-Wood. We seem to attact some pretty interesting and dynamic folks. The staff, volunteers and supporters are all fabulous.
Hi Connie, thanks for following my blog. Yours looks just delicious!
Thank you.
What a tasty and colorful looking lasagna!
The bell peppers are really the stars here.
Thank you for the tip about how you cook the lasagne sheets – keep swirling, nice and easy to remember! Oh and the recipe is gorgeous I can see why Rocky would want a copy
looks delicious! No wonder Rocky wanted the recipe. Making it for dinner this week, fosho!
Fosho…yo let me know how it works.
Hosting people from around the globe can prove quite challenging! People always come with different ideas on what their trip will be. I am glad everything went smoothly for you. Your lasagna look absolutely mouthwatering. When I start making lasagna, I always say to myself that this would be the last time because they are messy and time consuming. But when a take the first bite everything is erased and I am ready to make them again any time. Beautiful meal Connie!
Thank you. This group were extremely easy to please. They were so friendly and helpful I was amazed. They even came in the kitchen one evening to give it a top to bottom clean.
This is just my kind of recipe. Love all the delicious veggies you used in this dish. It’s just about lunchtime, and I’m starving now!
Gorgeous meal Connie and I appreciate the cheffy tip on pasta cooking. I admire your decision to leave your own thriving business and work in the charitable sector. I too left something good (not my own business though) and retrained to do nutrition work with cancer patients and their families. So rewarding. You sound like you made a life-changing decision compatible with family life and still giving to others. Your happiness radiates through your writing.
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing–and the delicious recipe, too!
This looks scrumptious! Appreciate the recipe, will have to try it out. It feels very summery to me!
Yes yes yes! this looks just devine!
Rocky sounds like a real gem! This lasagne sounds delicious and will feature next time our veggie friends come for dinner!
Thank you. Let me know how it comes out.
This looks so delicious. Veggie lasagna is one of my arguments for vegetarianism! And yours is beautiful, too.
Thank you!
Umm, this looks amazing! My freezer is getting a bit sparse, so I think I’ll add this to the list of things to make ahead. Maybe add a couple of extra veggies (mmmm grilled eggplant anyone) and badda-bing!
Thanks for sharing,
~Emilie