Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 50 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• spinach lasagna noodles (about 14 regular or 23 ruffled)
• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 12 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 2 (19 ounce) cans tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) jar roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded asiago cheese or 1 cup fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 to make tomato sauce: in medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
• 2 cook onion and garlic for about 3 minutes.
• 3 add next 7 ingredients (up to, but not including, tomatoes) and cook for about 8 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
• 4 stir in tomatoes, peppers, paste and vinegar.
• 5 heat to boiling, reduce temperature and, stirring often, simmer for about 1 hour or until thick enough to mound on a wooden spoon.
• 6 in large pot of boiling water, cook lasagna noodles for about 8 minutes or until tender.
• 7 drain (reserving hot water) and rinse under cold water.
• 8 set aside.
• 9 stir spinach into hot water and cook for 1 minute.
• 10 drain and squeeze out liquid.
• 11 chop coarsely.
• 12 to make sauce: melt butter in medium saucepan, gradually whisk in flour and over medium heat cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes.
• 13 remove pan from heat and whisk in milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• 14 cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (10-15 minutes).
• 15 whisk in 1/2 cup asiago and 1/3 cup parmesan cheeses until melted.
• 16 to assemble: spread 1/4 of the tomato sauce in a 9 by 11 inch baking dish.
• 17 top with single layer of noodles, trimming to fit dish.
• 18 repeat layering (tomato sauce/noodles).
• 19 spread with 1/3 sauce, and a single layer of noodles.
• 20 top with all of the spinach and the remaining asiago cheese.
• 21 top with single layer of noodles, 1/4 tomato sauce, noodles and 1/3 sauce.
• 22 repeat layering (noodles/tomato sauce/noodles/ sauce).
• 23 cover with aluminum foil.
• 24 lasagna can be refrigerated at this point and cooked the next day (add 10 minutes to first baking time).
• 25 place dish on baking sheet and cook in a 375f (190c) degree oven for 30 minutes.
• 26 remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
• 27 return to oven and bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or until cheese is golden.
• 28 let stand for 20 minutes before serving.