Roxanne's Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Lasagne is one of my fall back dishes that I make time and time again. It is great to serve for friends or make in advance of a busy week to stock the fridge. I don't always roast the vegetables beforehand but it really does enhance the flavour.

Roxanne's Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Ingredients (to serve 6)
200g carrot, peeled and chopped
250g beetroot, peeled and chopped
250g winter squash, peeled, seeds scooped out and chopped
200g parsnip, peeled and chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
200g white onion (2 medium), peeled and roughly sliced
100g celery (2 stalks), chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans chopped tomatoes
15g butter
15g plain flour
300ml milk
50g Cheddar cheese, plus extra to grate on top
1 box of lasagne sheets


Method
To par-boil the vegetables:
Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. Add the carrot and beetroot cook for five minutes and then add the squash and parsnip. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

To roast the vegetables:
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Put two baking trays with three tablespoons of oil each inside the oven to heat up. After about five minutes remove the trays and carefully add all the par-boiled vegetables along with the onion, celery and garlic. Use a wooden spoon to mix the vegetables around and ensure they are all covered in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30-40 minutes until they are tender and turning brown around the edges. As they cook check them every now and then and mix them around in the oil.

To prepare the vegetable sauce:
Once the vegetables are tender transfer to a large pan and add the chopped tomatoes, cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Leave to cool.

To make the cheese sauce:
Put the butter into a medium-sized pan and melt. Add the flour and stir until it all incorporated. Add about a quarter of the milk. Turn the heat down and stir constantly until all the milk has incorporated. Add another quarter of the milk and stir until incorporated. Repeat in two more additions. Once you have a smooth sauce grate the cheese over and generously season.

To assemble:
Using a large ovenproof dish spoon half of the vegetable sauce in the bottom. Cover with a layer of lasagne sheets (putting them as close together as you can). Top with the remaining sauce, and another layer of lasagne sheets. Finally top with the cheese sauce, ensuring it completely covers the lasagne. Grate a little cheese over the top.

To cook:
Bake in a preheated a 220°C/gas mark 7 preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

To serve:
Serve hot with a green salad and some crusty bread. Lasagne is also tasty reheated so refrigerate any leftovers and eat the next day, and the next...