Hearty Vegetable Garlic Lasagna

This recipe was inspired by a woman that I met in Nova Scotia. I was still eating meat, and it was the first time that I tried a vegetarian lasagna. It was so flavorful and cheesy that I didn't miss the meat at all. After some experimentation, I managed to come up with a recipe that my husband and I were happy with.

With the exception of the onion and garilc, I usually mix it up depending on what vegetables we have on hand, but I am consistent with everything else each time I make this. To make life easier on myself, I use oven ready l lasagna noodles. One day when I have time, I will use fresh noodles ;).

When it comes to the cheese, I try to go with the freshest and purest ingredients that I can find. For the mozzarella, I prefer to use fresh. To make it easier to grate, I put it in the freezer for a little while. When it's partially frozen, I take it out and grate it right away. For the ricotta, I was surprised to find that most brands add stabilizers to prolong shelf-life, and/or emulsifiers for texture. For the best flavor, try to find one that doesn't add any of these nasty things.

Ingredients
1/2 package (about 8 ounces) lasagna noodles
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1-26 ounce jar pasta sauce
4 large leaves basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 pint ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggianno cheese
1 egg

Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pot. Add half the garlic and saute until golden brown. Add the pasta sauce and oregano, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer fo 20 minutes. If making this ahead of time, refrigerate for up to one day. Otherwise, set it aside.
2. If you are not using oven-ready noodles, cook the noodles in a large pot and drain them.
3. Saute the remaining garlic, onions and carrots for a few minutes. Add the red pepper and continue sauteeing until the carrots are soft.
4. Add the pasta sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the basil and remove from heat.
5. Mix together ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, and egg.
6. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Layer 1/2 each, lasagna noodles, cheese mix, sauce, and parmesan. Repeat layering and top with the rest of the mozzarella and any remaining parmesan.
7. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 large servings