Tasty Courgette Lasagne

Over the past few weeks I've been lucky enough to have been given several courgettes, all straight from friend's gardens. I've even been given yellow ones. (I had to google them to make sure they were ripe; my courgette knowledge is minimal!)

I've never really known what to do with courgettes and have always found them a tad bland. I've tried to jazz them up a bit by either frying them with some chorizo or roasting them in with a mixture of other veggies and a dash of balsamic. So I was rather pleased when I recently came across a delicious sounding recipe for Courgette lasagne which looked fairly easy and quick.


I made a few tweaks as I went along and have now baked it twice (both times making a total mess of the kitchen, but it was worth it!) I decided to write it up this evening to stop myself from eating a second portion.
It makes for four very healthy portions or 6 slightly smaller ones. 


COURGETTE LASAGNE


Dried lasagne sheets
1 onion, chopped
2 - 3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 - 6 courgettes (green or yellow)
Tub of ricotta (250g)
50g - 100g Wensleydale cheese
1 leek
pinch of chilli flakes or one small chopped red chilli (optional)
sunflower oil (olive oil also works for this)
salt and pepper
Nutmeg (optional)


Pre-heat oven to gas mark 6 (200c/400f)

• Grate the courgettes and slice the leek
• Cook the lasagne sheets in boiling water for 5 minutes until softened. Rinse in cold water and oil to stop the sheets from sticking together. If they do, they can be easily pulled apart.
• Fry the onion and garlic lightly until softened.
• Add the leek and fry gently for a minute or so.
• Add the grated courgette and chilli
• Cook for a few minutes until softened. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir in two thirds of the ricotta cheese (you can also grate in some of the Wensleydale at this point if you prefer)
• In a large baking dish poor a layer of the courgette mixture in to cover the bottom
• Pour some of the tomato sauce next and grate some of the Wensleydale over; cover with a layer of pasta.
• Repeat again and finish with the pasta. Cover this with blobs of ricotta and Wensleydale, ensuring the cheese seals the pasta at the sides of the dish. At this point I like to grate nutmeg over the top as well, (Rather tasty!)
• Pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese has browned on top and the pasta is tender.

Other recipes use either Cheddar cheese or Parmesan rather than Wensleydale. I'm trying to teach myself to like cheese, so am easing myself in with a bit of the crumbly stuff.

Even tastes good reheated the next day!