Vegetable Lasagna With A Thick Bechamel Sauce Recipes

VEGETARIAN EGGPLANT LASAGNA WITH GARLIC BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to release the bitter juices. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Place eggplant on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 10 minutes. Flip and bake until browned on the other side, about 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a rectangular baking dish.
• While eggplant bakes, prepare bechamel sauce. Combine milk and garlic in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour cooks to a light, golden color, 5 to 7 minutes. Gradually pour hot milk through a sieve into the saucepan with the flour mixture; reserve garlic cloves. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until a thick, smooth bechamel forms, about 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to very low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in cream and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.
• Crush reserved garlic cloves and sprinkle over baked eggplant. Season with basil and pepper.
• Reheat bechamel sauce over low heat, while stirring well. If it is too thick, add a small amount of milk.
• Pour a few tablespoons of the bechamel sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top and cover with a layer of eggplant. Add a layer of bechamel. Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Continue layering until all lasagna noodles, eggplant, bechamel sauce, and mozzarella cheese are used up. End with a layer of lasagna noodles and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Press down gently on the lasagna so noodles completely covered with bechamel sauce. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until lasagna is cooked through and lightly browned, about 15 minutes more. Remove from oven at let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Place sausage and ground beef into a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until meat is browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Break the meat apart as it cooks. Stir in mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, Italian herb seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until mushrooms have given off their juices and bottom of pan is almost dry.
• Pour prepared marinara sauce into meat mixture. Pour water into marinara sauce jar and shake to get all the sauce out of the jar; add to mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is extremely tender, about 2 hours. Add a little more water if sauce becomes too thick. Skim excess fat from surface of the sauce and season with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Turn off heat.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat eggs in a large bowl and stir in ricotta cheese, 8 ounces diced mozzarella cheese, and 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Season cheese mixture with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne pepper; mix in parsley.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse noodles and set aside in a bowl of cold water.
• Spread 1/4 the sauce into the bottom of a 10x15-inch baking pan. Top with 1/3 the noodles and spread 1/2 the ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Spread 1/4 the meat sauce over the cheese, top with 1/3 the noodles, and spread remaining 1/2 the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spread 1/4 the meat sauce over the cheese filling. Tap the casserole dish lightly on a sturdy work surface to settle the layers. Arrange last 1/3 the noodles over sauce and spread remaining 1/4 the sauce over the noodles. Dot top of the casserole with 4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
• Cover casserole with aluminum foil, being sure not to touch the top of the casserole with the foil. Place casserole onto a baking sheet to catch spills.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook until lasagna is golden brown and bubbling, 30 to 35 more minutes. Let set for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA WITH A THICK BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F In a medium bowl, mix cheese layer ingredients together well and set aside.
• VEGETABLES: In a large skillet, heat the onion and garlic over medium heat. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the zucchini and mushrooms. Saute until the water has evaporated from the zucchini. Add sliced tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Cook to reduce and thicken. Set aside.
• BECHAMEL: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour slowly until the roux, whisk or stir for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the béchamel comes to a medium thickness (soft paste texture) Remove from heat and rest 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cool slightly. While whisking, slowly add the eggs a little at a time until incorporated well.
• ASSEMBLY: To a 9x13 pan, Spread a thin layer of Bechamel sauce into the bottom of the lasagna pan. Place a layer of cooked lasagna sheets, cut to fit into the pan if necessary. Add a thin layer of cheese mixture, then some spinach, followed with a vegetable layer. Repeat.
• Continue layering in this manner until ingredients are used up. Pour the remaining Bechamel sauce over top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA WITH BECHAMEL

Steps:

• For Vegetables set colander in large bowl.
• Add eggplant; toss with generous amount of salt.
• Let stand for about 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, celery and carrot.
• Sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add eggplant, potatoes, pepper, zucchini and broth.
• Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring once.
• Uncover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes longer.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• For Sauce: Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat.
• Whisk in flour.
• Whisk 2 minutes.
• Gradually whisk in milk.
• Cook until mixture comes to a boil, Whisking often,about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven 375°F.
• Lightly butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking pan.
• Cook Lasagna noodles in large pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to bite.
• Drain; rinse under cold water.
• Spoon 1 cup of sauce over bottom of dish.
• Arrange 5 lasagna noddles atop sauce, overlapping slightly.
• Spoon half of vegetables over noodles.
• Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over veggies.
• Sprinkle 3/4 cup parmesan cheese over sauce.
• Repeat layering one time.
• Top with 5 lasagna noodles.
• Spoon remaining sauce over noodles.
• Top with remaining Parmesan cheese (Can be made one day ahead and then cover and chill).
• Bake lasagna uncovered on center rack until sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes (45 minutes if previously chilled).

BECHAMEL SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a stove-top pot melt butter.
• Add flour and whisk well until a thick creamy paste forms. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Slowly pour in about ⅓ cup of milk. Continue whisking energetically breaking all the lumps. Make sure to scrape well the bottom and sides of the pot.
• Once you have reached a smooth consistency add a little more milk. Continue adding milk in small portions until you have used up all the milk.
• Increase the heat a little and continue whisking and cooking the sauce.
• Once it starts to thicken, cook it for another 20-30 seconds and turn off the heat.
• Continue to whisk. You'll notice Bechamel Sauce will continue to thicken even with the heat off.
• Once it reached desired consistency, season it with nutmeg and salt to taste or other seasonings (see suggestions above the recipe).
• Give another good stir.
• If you're not planning to use the sauce immediately see my tips above how to store it to prevent a skin from forming.