Entertaining

Ellie and Sam Studd's cheesy weeknight lasagne toss

Name: Cheesy weeknight lasagne toss recipe
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 x 400g eggplants, halved lengthwise, trimmed; 2 onions, quartered; 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 tsp chilli flakes; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes; 2 tbs tomato paste; 1/4 bunch basil, leaves picked, torn; 1 bunch sage, leaves picked; 100g Comté cheese, grated just before using (we like La Couronne); 1 cup (80g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated; 80g feta, drained, crumbled (we like Aphrodite barrel-aged feta); 250g fresh lasagne sheets, blanched and refreshed; 30g pine nuts

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by Ellie and Sam Studd

Jul 20, 2020

"This easy cheesy tossed lasagne is your answer to calls for simple and delicious rustic meals at home," says Ellie Studd.

3 x 400g eggplants, halved lengthwise, trimmed
2 onions, quartered
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp chilli flakes
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
1/4 bunch basil, leaves picked, torn
1 bunch sage, leaves picked
100g Comté cheese, grated just before using (we like La Couronne)
1 cup (80g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
80g feta, drained, crumbled (we like Aphrodite barrel-aged feta)
250g fresh lasagne sheets, blanched and refreshed
30g pine nuts

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place 200ml water each in 2 large frypans with lids and place over medium-low heat. Divide the eggplant, cut-side facing up, and onion between the pans, cover with lids and cook for 20-25 minutes until the eggplant and onion are just tender. Remove lids, turn the eggplant over and continue to cook for a further 5-6 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and eggplants are tender. Push ingredients to the side of each pan, then add half 40ml olive oil to the middle of each pan.
2.

Divide the garlic, chilli, lemon zest, tomatoes, 400ml water, tomato paste, basil and three-quarters of the sage between the pans. Season and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes until eggplant is very tender and starting to pull apart.
3.

Remove from heat and cut the eggplant into chunks in the pans. Transfer all the mixture into one of the pans. Add 80g of the Comte, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and crumble in all of the feta. Season to taste.
4.

Roughly tear lasagne sheets and place in a large 10-cup (2.5L) capacity casserole (this is the essence of the lasagne toss). Pour in the cheesy eggplant sauce. Make sure the torn lasagne sheets are well coated in sauce, and pull some of them up towards the top. Drizzle and coat the remaining sage leaves and pine nuts with olive oil and sprinkle over the lasagne, followed by the remaining 1/2 cup (40g) Parmigiano and 20g Comté. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling and pine nuts are toasted. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.