Vegetarian Lasagna Recipes are not difficult to find when traveling through the bloggersphere and you can find pretty much every kind of vegetable featuring in this classic Italian dish. Butternut Squash, Aubergines, peppers and zucchinis are the most popular vegetable choices I have found in my search for a good Vegetarian Lasagna Recipe.
However, I have to confess that lasagna does not feature often in this household, simply because I find it to be so time-consuming.......making the meat or tomato sauce or roasting the veggies, making the bechamel sauce AND cooking the pasta.
After all that, it still has to bake......no, no, no.... way too many pots and dirty dishes and way too much effort for this busy cook. Please don't get me wrong, I do make lasagna once in a while, but then I "go big or go home!!" I cook up a storm, invite a crowd and it
all seems worth the effort. For the four of us in the family, I needed something a lot easier, less time consuming and still big on taste.......mmmm, let me think.....
I read an article the other day about deconstructed food and found it most interesting. According to the article, deconstructed food is to take the different parts of the dish, separate them and then use them differently.However,the pieces should be recognizable by themselves but when eaten together should bring about the idea of the original dish. Sounds confusing? Well not really. I took the different elements of a vegetarian lasagna, separated them and served them in a totally different form, but we could all taste it was lasagna and the elements of a typical lasagna was still their, just differently arranged...lighter, more refreshing and definitely healthier than your typical vegetable lasagna. So stick around for my version of .....
Vegetarian Lasagna - Deconstructed!!!
Ingredients
2 lasagna sheets per person
freshly made basil pesto
about 8-12 huge cloves of garlic-unpeeled
olive oil
salt/pepper
shavings of fresh parmesan cheese
fresh basil
about 1 handful of cocktail tomatoes per person
fresh thyme
For the Pesto you can use my easy recipe or buy at a deli in your area. For this dish, I kept the pesto course and chunky. In a oven proof skillet, pour a few glugs of olive oil and add the tomatoes, thyme and unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast in the oven until the garlic is soft and the tomatoes have broken up, but it must not be mushy at all. They must still hold their shape. Get a pot of water boiling, add some salt and cook your pasta sheets for 4-5 minutes if using fresh or longer if using dry pasta sheets.
Now arrange the 2 pasta sheets on each plate in a wave-like manner. Arrange the tomatoes and garlic around it and dress with the lusciously green pesto. Finish off with some parmesan shavings, black pepper and some of the roasting juices from the tomatoes.
Feel like more pasta...why not try my easy...
Biltong and Butternut pasta
Have a good day!
24 comments:
This looks totally like a bit of food heaven to me Nina. Well done on your deconstruction of veg lasagne. I think it is stunning. And so simple too. Thank you xx
This looks insanely awesome! I'm with you with the whole time consuming problem of traditional lasagnas. My poor husband almost never gets lasagnas and they're one of his favourite foods...
But this, now THIS I won't mind making much more frequently. And it's so perfect for the summer months being much lighter than the heavy old lasagnas.
SUPER well done Nina - your plating & photography is excellent, as always. You should present some food photography lessons!
I am really loving the idea of deconstructing lasagna. It makes it fresh and available at a moments notice for less than a crowd.
I love the looks of this lasagna!
That is for sure an interesting way to look at any dish. I do agree on lasagna being a lot of work which I why I always let Tom make it... lol... It has become his specialty but we still only eat it when we have friends over.
O and yes, I did come back pretty quickly on the daring bakers didn't I?
Love this. Makes me want to make a fewsheets of fresh pasta and do this.More managable.
What a wonderful idea! It does look fresh and much lighter.
Brilliant! I love the idea of deconstructed lasagna - so easy but still tastes perfect.
How clever. This sounds fantastic and I love how you deconstructed it.
Sam
How creative! I love it! :)
I get so jealous coming to your site when we are on separate seasons and your produce looks so good! I miss tomatoes! You have managed to make this lasagna look simple and light!
oops, that comment above is mine - i'm having computer (well, mouse) issues.
Oh this lasagna sounds wonderful. I will have to try it sometime.
I have heard of this before but I've never had a go - your decontructed lasagne looks amazing Nina!
The only thing that puts me off lasagna is the time-consuming bit. THANK YOU for this version!!! :)
I hear you sister - lasagna is time consuming and BOY does it dirty pots! Still, it is so delicious when it's made properly... love your deconstructed version!
great idea!
very nice blog;-)
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kisses
Visually beautiful Nina, who wouldn't want to eat this!
First off...what stunning photos. They make me want to lick the screen.
Second, like you, when I think "lasagna" I think lots of work - so I love your deconstructed version.
Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. I'm hosting this week, and I hope you plan on sharing another gorgeous pasta.
You know... I am now thinking that deconstructed is the way I'd prefer to have lasanga. You see how you can change my mind about things?
You're very creative Nina and you need to have your own restaurant. Or maybe not! As long as i get invited to your table sometimes. :) Awesome dish.
Nina this sounds really cool. I love that you deconstructed it!
This looks really interesting.. I love the deconstructed lasagne!
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reade. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
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