Veggie Lasagna – Properly Butchered

Ingredients

• 1 C onion, finely chopped
• 2 C Crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 gloves garlic, finely diced
• 16.5 oz jar roasted red peppers (13 oz roasted weight), roughly chopped
• 1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
• Tofu Ricotta  (use Chelle’s recipe)
• 1 C shredded mozzarella  cheese (or less)
• 1/2 C  shredded Parmesan cheese (or less), split into two servings
• 1 tsp dried basil, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
• 1 30-oz jar of marinara sauce (Mario Batali’s)
• 2 lg eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
• 2-3 zucchinis, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

Directions

1.  Slice eggplant and zucchini, lay out out on cookie sheet and salt each slice.  After 15 minutes, flip over and salt 2nd side.  Then let drain for about an hour. Squeeze remaining water out of each slice and place on a cooling rack on a cookie sheet.  Roast for approx 30 minutes under the broiler (it took three full cookie sheets for this so it may take a couple of batches).
2. In large skillet, cook mushrooms, garlic, and onions with a bit of salt and olive oil until tender but not quite brown.  Stir in chopped roasted red peppers and remove from heat.
3. Pat spinach dry with paper towels (or just squeeze the hell out of it with your hands).  In a large bowl, mix together spinach, tofu ricotta, mozzarella cheese, half the Parmesan cheese, oregano, and basil.    Once completely mixed, add in the red pepper and mushroom mixture and thoroughly combine.
4.   Spread about half cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of  9×13 baking dish.  Line the bottom of the baking dish with roasted eggplant slices.  Spread about 1/3 of the red pepper-spinach mixture across the top of the eggplants.  Add 1 C of the marina sauce, spread evenly.
5. The next layer is zucchini slices.  Follow with another layer of red pepper-spinach mixture, then another 1/2-1 C of marinara sauce.  Place remaining eggplant and zucchini slices, cover with the last of the red pepper-spinach mixture and top with another cup of marina sauce.   Sprinkler the rest of the Parmesan cheese evenly across the top to finish up.
6. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Uncover and let rest for 20-30 minutes before serving. Please, to enjoy.