Whether it be cookware stores or grocery stores, the marketing folks are hard at work trying to make us think we “have to have” a certain something to make our lives easier.  If you’ve ever joined me for one of my cooking classes that I conduct each month here in Savannah you know too well that I like to rail against the gimmicky and gadgety items that all too often clutter up kitchens.

When it comes to cooking, gimmicks aren’t limited to the housewares category alone, they often carry over into the food aisles as well.

One such example are the “No-Boil Lasagna Noodles”.  Sure they work but so do regular ones and guess what….You don’t have to cook them either!  That’s right…regular lasagna noodles will work just fine without first pre-cooking them and they’re less expensive.

       

The main thing to keep in mind when making lasagna with regular noodles that aren’t going to first be cooked is to make sure there is a decent layer of sauce in contact with the noodles.  This is important as the noodles will need plenty of moisture to soak up during the baking process.  I prefer this method not only for the ease and convenience of assembly without dealing with torn cooked noodles, but also because they’re less likely to become overly soggy and soft after cooking twice (boiling and then baking).  The other key element is to bake the lasagna covered with a layer of waxed paper or parchment that is then covered tightly with foil so that the noodles essentially “steam” as it bakes.  Bake the lasagna covered for 1 hour and then scatter cheese across the top and continue baking for about 15 minutes to  melt and slightly brown the cheese if desired.

The inspiration for this lasagna started as a question that I read online:

“My girlfriend is allergic to tomatoes, what can I use as a replacement for tomato sauce in lasagna if I don’t want to use a cream sauce?”

I immediately thought of red pepper coulis which is a pureed sauce of roasted red peppers (orange and yellow can be utilized as well such as I did in making the recipe below).  The roasting develops a delicious smoky depth of flavor and the color of the peppers produce a sauce that is similar in visual appeal to a tomato sauce so that his girlfriend wouldn’t feel quite like she was totally missing out on the “real deal”.

                

 

When I created the lasagna recipe using red pepper coulis in place of tomato sauce I figured I might as well make the lasagna itself a little untraditional as well.  I then set about creating this lasagna which might be meatless but is full of deep rich flavor! 

Even though red peppers are more of a summer seasonal item, the deep rich flavors of this lasagna are perfect for a hearty stomach-warming and satisfying meal in the fall as the weather is cooling down.

Mushroom, Eggplant & Goat Cheese Lasagna with Red Pepper Coulis

This can easily be converted to a vegetarian entree by replacing the chicken stock in the sauce with vegteable stock.

Yield: 1 9×13 pan (12-15 portions)

 

Red Pepper Coulis:
5 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, sliced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups chicken stock

Lasagna:
1 medium eggplant
1 medium yellow onion, ½” dice
½ cup olive oil, divided us
1teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 cups sliced mushrooms (about 2#), white or Crimini, or a combination of your favorites
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped parsley
1 11-oz. log goat cheese, crumbled
1 lb. lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Red Pepper Coulis

Roast the peppers by placing over an open flame (grill or gas cooktop) and roast on each side, turning as the peppers blacken and blister. Alternatively, the sides may be sliced off in planks and placed on a baking sheet under the broiler until they are blackened and blistered. Once peppers are blackened, place on a platter or in a bowl and set aside to cool.

Once peppers are cooled enough to handle, carefully pull out the core of the pepper and discard. Scrape off the charred and blistered skin. A dry paper towel makes it convenient to rub off this skin which will come off in a myriad of pieces. To retain the best flavor, do not rinse the peppers under water. Open up the peppers and wipe out any remaining seeds from the interior. Tear peppers into smaller random pieces and set aside.

Place medium saucepan over medium high heat. When bottom of pan is hot, add olive oil along with diced onion, garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Sweat onions until they become translucent and soften. Add the roasted peppers, herbs, and chicken stock. Bring pot to a simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes to further soften and cook the peppers and onions. Puree the mixture either with an immersion mixer, or by working in batches through a blender or food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Lasagna:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim top off of eggplant. Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch thick planks lengthwise. Cut each plank into strips that are ½-inch wide. Cut across the strips to cut into a dice. Place diced eggplant and onion on a jelly-roll pan or other large pan with sides on it. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with half salt and black pepper. Toss to coat with the oil and seasonings. Roast in preheated 400 degree F. oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Turn oven down to 350 degrees after vegetables are roasted.

Place a 10 or 12-inch sauté pan over medium high heat and heat until your hand held about 6-inches from the surface can feel heat radiating strongly from the pan. Drizzle enough of the remaining olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the sauté pan. Add half the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cover with a lid to help steam and cook the moisture out of the mushrooms. As mushrooms cook down and moisture begins to exude from them, remove the lid and half of the remaining salt and pepper and half of the dried thyme. Continue cooking uncovered, until the moisture cooks away and mushrooms become limp and start to take on color. Add half the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Pour cooked mushrooms into a large mixing bowl (big enough to accommodate all vegetables being cooked) and cook the remaining mushrooms in the same manner using the remaining seasonings. (It is important that the moisture be cooked out of the mushrooms or the lasagna will end up watery.) When all mushrooms are cooked, add the chopped parsley and mix well. Add the roasted eggplant and onions once they have cooled slightly. Add the crumbled goat cheese and mix to blend well.

Assembly:

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9-inchx13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle about a third of the red pepper coulis into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom. Place lasagna noodles side by side in pan, overlapping slightly if necessary to provide maximum coverage.

Ladle another third of the sauce over the noodles and then top with the cheese and vegetable mixture. Spread the cheese and vegetable mixture evenly across the noodles and then cover with a second layer of lasagna noodles.

Pour remaining pepper coulis over the top of the final noodle layer. Cover the lasagna tightly with aluminum foil. Lasagna can be baked immediately or refrigerated overnight.

Place the covered lasagna pan into a preheated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 1 hour and then remove the cover, scatter with Parmesan cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.