l is for lentils (and lasagne)

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Sorry, this is not a photo of what I cooked! I made it and (for once) didn't take a photo!
I'll put up a photo the next time I make it.....which will be soon.

I think this might be the most delicious lasagne ever.  I have been making variations of this one for many years (prior to that I might just as well have served people a pile of melted cheese!) but recently I cottoned on to the idea of putting walnuts in to a spaghetti sauce.  It had never crossed my mind, even though when I was younger my friend Emma's dad's specialty was nutmeat bolognese (and we loved it!).  It gives the sauce an unctuousness, a richness.  Divine, I tell you.


Lentil and walnut lasagne
Inspired by Pocket Carnival
Serves 6 amply

You can either make the Sunday night spag bol sauce and add the walnuts in at the end, or you can put this sauce together in a flash:

Olive oil or cooking spray
2 large onions, finely chopped
As much garlic as you like (I like to crush the cloves roughly and chop them into fairly large pieces; getting a chunk of garlic in the sauce is like finding a lolly in a cake!)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
Basil pesto (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
200g red lentils (or any lentils really!  It's nice with green puy lentils too)
Vegetable stock to cover
Salt and pepper

Saute onion and garlic in a large stockpot until soft, add tomatoes, pesto, bay leaf and lentils.  Cover with vegetable stock and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.  Remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.

Then, put 1 cup of walnuts in a food processor (or bash them up with a rolling pin!) until they are crushed but still a but chunky, you don't want it to be like dust.  Reserve about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top, add the rest into the sauce.  It thickens like magic!

In the meantime, grab:

2 large carrots
1 large or 2 small courgettes (zucchini)

Peel the vegetables with a swivel peeler so they are in thin ribbons.

Assemble your lasagne.  I usually do it this way:

1 or 2 soup ladles of lentil and walnut sauce
1 layer of lasagne noodles
1 or 2 soup ladles of lentil and walnut sauce
Carrot and courgette ribbons
A bit of grated cheese
1 layer of lasagne noodles
1 or 2 soup ladles of lentil and walnut sauce
Carrot and courgette ribbons
A bit of grated cheese
1 layer of lasagne noodles
Remaining sauce
A bit of grated cheese
Remaining crushed walnuts

The grated cheese is just some nice low fat cheddar and "a bit" is not very much, a scant sprinkling.  Hubby doesn't like cheese all that much.  Unluckily for my tastebuds, but luckily for my bottom!

Cover with foil and bake in a hot oven (190C) for about 35 minutes.  Remove the foil for the last five minutes so the top gets brown and crisp.

Serve with a lovely fresh green salad, or with warm green vegetables (green beans with lemon are lovely!), or even just on its own.

Prepare to be wowed!  I think I could even win meat eaters over with this one!