Just across Veteran's Bridge, in our beautiful city of Chattanooga, sits the Bluff View Art District, high on the bank of the Tennessee river. If it weren't for the southern drawls, you might mistakenly imagine that you were in a tiny European village; of course Tony's Pasta & Trattoria would be the perfect place for an Italian lunch. Recently, I had their Garden Vegetable Lasagna, and I have been obsessing about it ever since. Thanks to inspiration from Jessica Merchant of howsweeteats, I have reproduced my own version of the recipe.
Let me be honest with you: this is not the dish to make when you are rushed and just trying to get something on the table. It has a number of steps and will take an investment of your time. Save this for that Saturday when you really feel inspired and want to play in the kitchen. Or you want to make a special dinner for the one you love. This dish , bursting with roasted, colorful vegetables, fresh herbs, and layers of cheesy goodness, will cause those you serve to crown you a proper "Domestic Goddess."
Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets
6 ounces mushrooms (white or portobello), sliced
2 small zucchini squash, large diced
2 small yellow squash, large diced
1 large sweet onion, large diced
2 bell peppers, red or orange, large diced
2 cups grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 c. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 c. freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese
1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 lb. lasagna noodles
5 c. marinara sauce (40 oz. jar)
2 balls of burrata cheese (Burrata is fresh mozzarella cheese that is formed into a pouch and filled with soft, stringy curds and cream. It is optional in this recipe, but it sure takes it up a notch).
1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Begin by prepping the vegetables for roasting; you can use any combination of veggies that you want. Try to cut them up in similar sizes so they roast evenly. I had nearly 14 cups of chopped vegetables (not including the tomatoes). Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil, for easy clean up. Divide the other vegetables up between two more baking sheets. Drizzle the olive oil over all three pans; sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Half way through, turn the vegetables over. They are done when the tomatoes are bursting and the vegetables have a bit of roasted char. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the two mixed veggie pans for the last 5 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Place the eggs and ricotta in a bowl and whisk together with a fork. Add the fresh basil, parsley, dried oregano, and a bit of salt and pepper and stir. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; drizzle in a spoonful of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Line up all the ingredients to assemble the dish. I have a lasagna pan, which measures 14 x 11 x 3.5 inches. This recipe fills my pan. If you use a 9 x 13 inch, you may want to make a second, small dish, like a bread loaf pan, to accommodate these generous proportions. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
I must be dyslexic because I always have to stop several times when I make lasagna and rethink how to divide the ingredients up for the correct number of layers. Perhaps this will be helpful:
Ingredients you will use three times (so divide into thirds):
veggies, marinara sauce, ricotta and herb mixture, and the burrata, if you choose to add it
Ingredients you will use four times (so divide into fourths):
noodles, mozzarella, parmesan reggiano cheese, and the tomatoes
Begin with 1/2 cup of marinara sauce spread in the bottom of the pan (this doesn't count in the thirds). Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Scatter on a third of the veggies and a fourth of the tomatoes. Spoon in a third of the ricotta. Tear up part of a burrata ball and scatter over. Add a fourth of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Construct two more rounds of layers, beginning with a third of the sauce, then noodles, veggies, tomatoes, ricotta, burrata, mozzarella and parmesan. On top of the fourth layer of noodles, put the last third of sauce, and the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle with the final tomatoes. Take a bow: you have just created a masterpiece.
Bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly. Let set for 30 minutes before cutting. Yields 12 servings. It is fine to assemble this the day before, cover and refrigerate. Let set at room temp for an hour, and then bake according to the directions.
