When a few
basic vegetables make up the bulk of a dish, it’s important to prepare them in
a way that brings out their richest flavors. Cipollini onions—those small,
flying-saucer-shaped beauties—are perfect for roasting. To keep the recipe
easy, I simply roasted the mushrooms and tomatoes in the same skillet—after
removing the onions—chopped and tossed all the vegetables together, and that’s
it: ready for layering.
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Cipollini Onions |
You don’t
need to make lasagna with thick, creamy cheeses like ricotta or fresh
mozzarella all the time. Those are great, but when you’re doing vegetarian, rich,
heavy-textured cheese can overpower the lightness of the vegetables. Shredded
and grated cheeses work well too, without making dense layers.
A cup of
Parmigiano-Reggiano may sound like a lot, but it’s not a packed cup. Finely grated, this king of cheeses forms a puffy
little mound quickly—enough to measure a loose cup, but still not much cheese.
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Finely Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano |
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 10 small to
medium cipollini onions
- olive oil,
for drizzling, plus 1 tbsp
- sea salt
- freshly
ground black pepper
- 12 lasagna
noodles
- 12 oz button
mushrooms, halved (quartered, if large)
- 5-6 medium
stem tomatoes, halved (quartered, if large)
- 3 garlic
cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp
chopped fresh herbs, such as sage and oregano
- 1 cup
crushed tomatoes (from a 28-oz can), divided
- 1 cup shredded
provolone, divided
- 1 cup
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
- dried
oregano, for garnish (optional)
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Stem Tomatoes and Mushrooms |
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Garlic and Herbs |
Preparation
- Preheat the
oven to 400° F.
- Cut a thin
slice from each end of the onions and remove the peel. (If it’s difficult to
remove, try rubbing it under running water.)
- Place the onions
in a heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron), drizzle with olive oil, and
season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast in the oven until tender
and golden brown, 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
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Onions Ready to Roast |
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Roasted Cipollini Onions |
- Remove the
onions to a cutting board and let cool.
- Reduce the
oven temperature to 350° F and let the skillet cool 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile,
cook the lasagna noodles in salted, boiling water about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse
under cold water.
- Add the mushrooms
and tomatoes to the skillet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and
pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast until tender but the tomatoes are not broken
down, 11-12 minutes, turning once halfway through.
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Mushrooms and Tomatoes Ready to Roast |
|
Roasted Mushrooms and Tomatoes |
- Use a
slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms and tomatoes to the cutting board. (This
helps keep the vegetables from being too watery in the lasagna.) Leave the oven
on.
- Chop the
onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
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Chopped Roasted Cipollinis |
- Heat
another skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic
and stir-fry 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs and season with
salt and pepper.
- Cook until
most of the liquid is absorbed, 4-5 minutes.
|
Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Herbs |
- Lightly oil
a large baking dish and spread 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes over the bottom. Lay 4
slightly overlapping noodles in the dish and spread 1/2 the vegetable mixture
on top. Scatter 1/3 cup provolone and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano over the vegetables.
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First Vegetable Layer |
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First Layer with Cheese |
- Place 4
more noodles in the dish and repeat the layer.
- To finish,
place the final 4 noodles in the dish and spread with the remaining 1/2 cup of
crushed tomatoes. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup of each cheese on top. Bake
uncovered 35-40 minutes, until the top begins to brown.
- Remove and
let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
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Lasagna Ready to Bake |
|
Baked Lasagna |
To serve, slice into
6 large pieces or 8 medium pieces and garnish with dried oregano, if desired.
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Vegetable Lasagna with Roasted Cipollini Onions, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes |
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