Quick squash lasagna Pasta has my heart like nothing else. My love affair with it was cemented when making stuffed agnolotti, caramelle and everything in between in restaurant kitchens, but it started with something simpler: my mum's lasagna. This lasagna is something slightly different but still as nostalgic and comforting. It is the quickest I've made, ready for the oven in 10 minutes (not the hour it normally takes), yet there is still a rich deep tomato sauce and those crisp baked edges to fight over. I don't pre-cook my lasagna sheets, as they cook in the sauce and I like them a little al dente. If you prefer them softer, you could use fresh pasta sheets here. This recipe was originally inspired by one of my all-time favorite cooks, Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com. Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C. In a large bowl or jug, mix the passata (or purée/crushed canned tomatoes) with the oil, half a teaspoon of flaky sea salt, the chopped garlic, chili flakes, drained lentils, grated squash, chopped olives, capers and lemon zest. Tear the basil leaves in half. Spoon a quarter of the sauce into an ovenproof dish roughly 8 inches x 12 inches/20 cm x 30 cm (I use an oval roughly the same size), tear over a third of one of the balls of mozzarella, then cover with pasta sheets. Repeat for another two layers: a quarter of the sauce, a third of a ball of mozzarella, a layer of pasta. Finish with a final layer of sauce, then tear over the whole second ball of mozzarella, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with the basil, and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the mozzarella is deeply golden. Serve with a sharply dressed salad (I mix lemon juice, cider vinegar, mustard and extra virgin olive oil, and toss through a bowl of green leaves). SERVES 6 2 ¾ cups/690 g tomato passata/purée/crushed canned tomatoes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped a good pinch of dried chili flakes 2 x 15-ounce/400 g cans green or Puy lentils, drained (or 9 ounces/250 g home-cooked) 1/2 a butternut squash (about 1 1/3 pounds/600 g), peeled and grated 1/3 cup/50 g black olives, pitted and chopped 2 tablespoons capers the zest of a lemon, unwaxed or organic a small bunch of basil, leaves picked 2 x 4-ounce/125 g balls of mozzarella or vegan-style mozzarella 9 ounces/250 g dried lasagna sheets Halloumi, broccoli & chickpea bake A variation of this goes into our oven at least once a week. I pinched this way of cooking Halloumi from my friend and brilliant cook Georgina Hayden. Ras el hanout is a North African spice mix that I always have on hand, but if you don't have it, try a mixture of ground cinnamon, cumin, and smoked paprika or chili powder. Vegans could swap the Halloumi for a block of firm tofu rubbed with more ras el hanout and olive oil, or use vegan-style Halloumi in the same way. Heat the oven to 450°F/220°C. Spread the chickpeas on a large sheet tray, sprinkle with the ras el hanout and the zest and juice of half the orange (grate the remaining zest into a bowl), drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, score the top of the Halloumi block with 1/4-inch/5 mm-deep crisscrosses, then set aside. In a bowl or jar, mix the tahini, remaining orange zest and juice, and a tablespoon of olive oil--if your tahini is thick, it might need a really good stir. Once the chickpeas have had 10 minutes, take them out of the oven and turn on the grill. Add the Halloumi, broccoli and pumpkin seeds to the tray, toss everything together, so it is all coated in the orangy spiced oil, then put under the grill for 10 minutes, until the Halloumi is golden, the broccoli spears are softened and the florets are crisp. Sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and parsley, drizzle over the tahini mix, then drizzle the Halloumi with honey. Serve with flatbreads. SERVES 4 2 x 15-ounce/400 g cans chickpeas or 1 x 11/2-pound/700 g jar, drained 1 heaping teaspoon ras el hanout 1 orange, unwaxed or organic olive oil 7 ounces/200 g block of Halloumi or vegan Halloumi-style cheese (sometimes called "Mediterranean-style") 3 tablespoons tahini 9 ounces/250 g purple-sprouting or Tenderstem broccoli a large handful of pumpkin seeds seeds from 1 pomegranate a small bunch of parsley, leaves picked TO SERVE 1 heaping teaspoon honey or maple syrup 4 flatbreads Excerpted from One: Pot, Pan, Planet: A Greener Way to Cook for You and Your Family: a Cookbook by Anna Jones All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
