LASAGNE WITH BLACK BEANS (OR KIDNEY BEANS)
INGREDIENTS
RED SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 yellow or red pepper, diced
- 1 vegetable stock cube, yeast free
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (2 x 400 g)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon sweet chilli
- 1 teaspoon Modena balsamic vinegar
- 1 can black beans or kidney beans (400 g)
- pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- optional: sweetcorn, as much as preferred
- optional: a handful of fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
WHITE SAUCE
- 450 g cottage cheese
- 2 eggs, free-range/organic
- 150 g grated cheese (mozzarella or mild cheddar or whatever you like)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
OTHER
- 100 g grated cheese (mozzarella or mild cheddar or whatever you like)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 9-12 dried lasagne sheets
METHOD
RED SAUCE
- Rinse and drain the beans and keep them in a colander until ready to use
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, fry the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add the pepper and garlic and fry for a few more minutes
- Add the vegetable stock cube and mix together
- Add the tomatoes, turn up the heat and bring to the boil
- Add all the herbs, spices and vinegar
- Finally add the beans (and sweetcorn + spinach if using) and season with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer while you prepare the white sauce
WHITE SAUCE
- In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese and eggs
- Add the 150 g cheese and nutmeg
- Preheat the oven according to the lasagne sheet package directions (adjust oven rack to lowest position)
- Remove the frying pan from the cooker. Use a ladle to pour a thin layer of red sauce into a lasagne dish (there is no need to completely cover the bottom) and cover with 3-4 lasagne sheets (depends on the size of your lasagne dish)
- Add a thin layer of white sauce, followed by a layer of the red sauce and cover with lasagne sheets. Repeat the layers as needed and finish with the rest of the white and red sauce
- Cover with the 100 g cheese and sprinkle the Parmesan on top
- Cook in the preheated oven according to the lasagne sheet package directions (the lasagne sheets I have used so far call for 220°C/425°F/gas 7 for 25 minutes)
Serve with, for example, spinach, simple salad, homemade whole grain bread or garlic bread. When making garlic bread, sometimes I make yeast free pizza dough and place the pizza base in the oven about 8 minutes before the lasagne is done. When I remove the base from the oven, I brush it with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, oregano and sea salt, and use a pizza cutter to slice it.