EVERYTHING-BUT-THE KITCHEN-SINK LASAGNA (lasaña)

I had just read FOODalogue's pasta post and thought it would be a wonderful dish to make for my client.  Upon arriving at her house, I found that she had defrosted lasagna noodles (the ones you don't boil beforehand) and wanted a vegetarian lasagna.



Before going to the market I checked to see what I needed and decided on using everything that was in her fridge. Therefore, the name for this dish.

I found:  kale, mushrooms, eggplant, parsley, peppers, celery, zucchini (yellow and green), asparagus, one big onion, garlic head, scallions, a chunk of parmesan cheese, rosemary, thyme and oregano.  I just had to run out and purchase some ricotta cheese (to which I added parmesan cheese after being grated and some chopped parsley) and mozzarella. 

In the pantry:  1 jar of Progresso tomato basil spaghetti sauce, 2  15 oz. cans of fire roasted garlic tomatoes chopped and a lonely can (15 oz) of just plain chopped tomatoes. 

I cut up my onion and chopped my garlic adding it to a pan that had about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and then the celery, peppers and kale.  I cooked them at low heat to sweat.  In another pan I mixed all the tomato sauces and then added the onion mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and the herbs.


In another pan I sauteed garlic, the mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, scallions and the asparagus in olive oil until lightly cooked, not mushy.  I wanted the lasagna to have chunky pieces of vegetables.  Salt and pepper to taste.