Recipe 52: Vegetable Lasagne Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

• 2 small zucchini
• 2 small summer squash
• Kosher salt
• 2 red bell peppers
• 7 ounces low-fat goat cheese
• 1/3 cup pitted Calamata olives
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 recipe tomato sauce (they include a recipe but I used jarred sauce)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Slice zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick strips. Lay the strips out on baking sheet pan and salt generously. Set aside.

Roast the peppers over a gas flame or broil on a sheet pan until completely charred, about 8 minutes. Put the peppers in a bowl, cover, and set aside until just cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Rub the skins off the peppers with your fingers to remove most of the charred skin. Core and remove the seeds, then slice the peppers lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch strips.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the goat cheese, olives, thyme, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Thoroughly wipe excess salt and moisture from zucchini and squash with paper towel.
Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of an 8- by 11-inch baking dish. Begin layering, remembering to season with pepper between each layer. Start with the zucchini and then summer squash and all the peppers. Dollop spoonfuls of the cheese over the peppers and then spread it out to cover. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the vegetables. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, squash, goat cheese, and sauce. Sprinkle top layer with Parmesan and bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover. Continue baking until the vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes more. Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Results: Don't be put off by the extensive directions.  This is really an easy layering recipe.  And it's delicious!  Rashan loved it AND it's vegetarian.  Also... it's my first time cooking as his wife! :)))  I love goat cheese.   It brings me joy.  He tought the olives gave this dish a meaty quality.  I always use more crushed red pepper than a recipe calls for and it was a great pay-off!  You could also buy jarred roasted red peppers to save yourself a step.  I had peppers so I roasted them in the toaster oven.  This recipe combined a bunch of stuff I love!  And it was fulfilling!