A really juicy and delicious vegetarian lasagne with hemp seeds is hard to say no to, packed full of flavour, texture and warmth as it is! Hemp seeds add a lovely nutty note and extra nourishment - just dig in and enjoy!!

Ingredients:

  • About 12-15 lasagne sheets (fresh or dried)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 courgette, diced
  • 1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 dl vegetable stock
  • About 50 g hemp seeds (whole or lightly crushed)
  • 250 g ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • A pinch of grated nutmeg
  • 2 dl grated cheese (e.g. mozzarella, parmesan or a blend)
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (for garnish)

For the béchamel sauce (can be omitted for a lighter version):

  • 50 g butter
  • 0.5 dl plain flour
  • 5 dl milk
  • A pinch of grated nutmeg
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Prepare the vegetable mixture: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or pot. Add the onion and fry until soft and glossy. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and fry for a few more minutes until slightly softened.
  2. Add the pepper and courgette and fry for a further 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, basil and chilli flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the vegetable stock. Let the sauce simmer over low heat for at least 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  4. Stir in half of the hemp seeds into the vegetable mixture.
  5. Make the béchamel sauce (if using): Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk vigorously to form a smooth roux. Pour in the milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring the sauce to the boil while stirring, then simmer over low heat for a few minutes until thickened. Season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
  6. Prepare the ricotta mixture: In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the egg, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a little grated nutmeg if desired.
  7. Assemble the lasagne: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease an ovenproof dish.
  8. Start with a thin layer of the vegetable mixture at the bottom of the dish. Then add a layer of lasagne sheets.
  9. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the lasagne sheets.
  10. Spread a layer of the vegetable mixture over the ricotta. If using béchamel sauce, spread a layer of that too.
  11. Sprinkle over some of the grated cheese.
  12. Repeat the layers: lasagne sheets, the remaining ricotta mixture, vegetable mixture, béchamel sauce if using, and grated cheese. Finish with a layer of lasagne sheets, the remaining vegetable mixture (and béchamel sauce if using), and top with the remaining grated cheese and hemp seeds.
  13. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the lasagne is heated through, the cheese has melted and turned a lovely golden colour.
  14. Let the lasagne rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.

Tips for extra juiciness:

  • Plenty of sauce: Make sure the lasagne sheets are well covered with both the vegetable mixture and any béchamel sauce.
  • Moist vegetables: Vegetables such as courgette and pepper contain a lot of moisture, which helps make the lasagne juicier.
  • Cover with foil: During the first half of the baking time, you can cover the dish with aluminium foil to retain moisture. Remove the foil towards the end to achieve a nice gratin finish.
  • Pre-cook dried sheets (optional): If you are using dried lasagne sheets and are worried about them becoming dry, you can pre-cook them for a few minutes according to the instructions on the packaging.