Vegetarian Lasagna

I planned to make cannellini cannelloni, but I made some substitutions and then it became Vegetarian Lasagna.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 28 ounces diced canned tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and basil (I used 1 tablespoon each fresh basil and Spanish thyme)
• 1 bunch kale (or swiss chard)
• 1/2 Vidalia onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 14 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained (I used garbanzo beans, rinsed them, and briefly whirred them in the food processor) 
• 8 ounces cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 4 ounce feta 
•  11 - 12 ounces fresh pasta/lasagna sheets (I made and used this Almond Flour Pasta)
  
• 10 ounces mozzarella cheese

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. and the spices with the tomatoes in a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender to break up the big pieces of diced tomatoes.
   
3. Remove the stems from the kale, and chop leaves into small pieces. Chop the stems separately into small pieces - you will cook them separately.
   
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions and stem pieces. Stir frequently, cook until tender about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper,  garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Stir in the kale leaves, cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
7. Stir in beans. Mash maybe half of the beans, then let cool a bit.  As needed, add in a couple tablespoons of water to allow the beans to smooth in better.
   (If using garbanzo beans, whirr briefly in a food processor.)
   
8. Whirr the cottage cheese and feta together in a food processor until creamy.
   
9. Spread 1 cup or so of tomato sauce on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan .
10. Layer the bottom of the pan with the pasta sheets.
11. Spread/drop one half kale/bean mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the sauce over this layer, and about 2 ounces of the mozzarella cheese.
    
12. Add another layer of pasta sheets. Spread/drop all of the ricotta/feta mixture on top. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the sauce over this layer, ,and about 2 ounces of the mozzarella cheese.
13. Use the remaining kale/bean mixture to make another layer. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the sauce over this layer, and about 2 ounces of the mozzarella cheese.
14. Cover the kale/bean layer with pasta sheets, top with remaining tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.
    
15. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
16. Uncover,  sprinkle with some chopped chives, and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is lightly toasted. (Or broil for a minute or two, watching carefully.)
    

 

Carole's Notes:

We both liked this! It is tasty and filling, and it is healthy too!

The recipe is adapted from Cool Beans's Cannellini Cannelloni.