Scruffy Aubergine Lasagne Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 piece Aubergine (trim ends, halve, keep skin on)
• 250 ml Water (for steaming the vegetables)
• 3 pieces Onion (medium, quartered)
• 6 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 piece Lemon (zest only, adds brightness)
• 1 piece Dried Chili (deseeded for mild heat)
• 20 leaves Sage Leaves (mix of purple and green sage; half for frying, half for topping)
• 4 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra‑virgin, divided between pan and sage topping)
• 2 cans Plum Tomatoes (400 g each, crushed in pan)
• 50 g Almonds (crushed for crunchy topping)
• 80 g Cheddar Cheese (grated)
• 80 g Parmesan Cheese (grated, can use vegetarian Parmesan)
• 300 g Fresh Lasagna Sheets (tear into bite‑sized pieces; no pre‑cooking needed)

Instructions

1. Prep Vegetables and Herbs

   Trim the ends off the aubergine, halve it, and set aside. Quarter the three onions, mince the garlic, zest one lemon, deseed the dried chili and rinse both purple and green sage leaves.

   Time: PT10M

2. Steam Aubergine and Onions

   Add 250 ml water to the large sauté pan, bring to medium‑high heat, then add the aubergine halves and onion quarters. Cover and steam until soft and silky, about 8 minutes.

   Time: PT8M

3. Fry Aromatics

   Push the softened veg to one side of the pan. Add 3 Tbsp olive oil to the empty side, then toss in the minced garlic, lemon zest, dried chili and half the sage leaves. Fry until fragrant and sticky bits form on the pan bottom (3‑4 minutes).

   Time: PT4M

4. Add Tomatoes and Simmer

   Squish the two tins of plum tomatoes into the pan, pour in the water from the emptied cans, stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.

   Time: PT20M

5. Prepare Crunchy Topping

   While the sauce simmers, place 50 g almonds in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Rub the remaining sage leaves with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside for topping.

   Time: PT5M

6. Finish Sauce with Cheese

   Turn the heat off. Stir in 80 g grated cheddar and 80 g grated parmesan until fully melted, creating an oozy cheese‑laden sauce.

   Time: PT3M

7. Tear Lasagna Sheets

   Tear the fresh lasagna sheets into irregular bite‑size pieces and add them directly to the sauce, stirring to coat.

   Time: PT2M

8. Assemble in Baking Dish

   Transfer the pasta‑sauce mixture to a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed almonds evenly over the top, then arrange the oil‑rubbed sage leaves on the surface.

   Time: PT5M

9. Bake the Lasagna

   Pre‑heat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Bake the assembled lasagna for 25 minutes, or until bubbling and the topping is golden and crisp.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 200°C

10. Rest and Serve

    Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to settle and makes slicing easier.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

6 g