Three Cheese Vegetable Lasagna

SAUCE

• olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
  
• 6 carrots, finely chopped (this time used 3 carrots)
  
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 24 oz chinese eggplant, skinned and chopped (this time used 12 oz)
  
• 12 oz artichoke hearts, defrosted
• 1 cup white wine
  
• optional: 6 ounces spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
• 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, strained and chopped (next time use pre-chopped?)
  
• 3 oz tomato paste
• 1 bunch chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• ground black pepper
  
• ground dried spicy red pepper

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and carrots; sauté until softened, about 12 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

LASAGNA

• 12 oz (15) lasagna noodles
• 16 oz grated mozzarella cheese
• 16 oz ricotta cheese (this time used 8 oz)
  
• grated Parmesan cheese
• 16 oz fresh baby spinach (this time used 10 oz)
  
• 2 large eggs
• ground black pepper
  

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Shock with cold water and drain. Add grapeseed oil.

Wilt spinach in sauce pan. Add ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Add pepper. Mix in eggs.

LAYERING

Spread a layer of sauce over bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Place 1/3 noodles over sauce.
Spread 1/2 of ricotta-spinach mixture over noodles.
Sprinkle layer of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layering.

Arrange remaining 1/3 noodles over sauce.
Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over lasagna.

BAKING

Preheat oven to 350°F.

(Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake lasagna 40 minutes; uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let lasagna stand 15 minutes before serving.