Vegetable Lasagna--mmmmmmmm

This recipe is one that I created myself. I was a little nervous about making a veggie lasagna. I am not sure why, I like vegetables and all, but I thought that I would really miss the meat. As it turns out, I didn't--Matt and I love this recipe, so hopefully you will too!

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:
lasagna noodles
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 white onion, diced
2 large or 3 small zucchini, sliced
1 1/2 cups of chopped fresh spinach
5-7 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 jars of your favorite tomato sauce (more if it is very thick)
1/2 cup of red wine (optional)
4 Tb butter
1 Tb olive oil
12 oz container of ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup reserved for topping
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg


Directions:
Prepare lasagna noodles according to package. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Sauce
1. In a large pan heat olive oil and half of the minced garlic over medium heat. Tip: Heat the garlic with the olive oil instead of adding it later--this will prevent burning the outside of the garlic. Let the garlic sizzle in the pan for about 1 minute. 
2. If you are using wine, add it to the pan now. Let it bubble for about 2 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce and basil. 
3. Allow the sauce to bubble then turn it to simmer as you prepare everything else. 


Vegetables
1. Melt butter in a pan. 
2. Add garlic, onions, and zucchini. 
3. Sauté vegetables until tender but not overcooked. Set aside


Cheese
1. Mix ricotta, 1 1/4 cups mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, and the egg together. Add salt and pepper. 

Assembling the Lasagna
1. Use a 8x8 baking dish. Put a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce in the dish to coat the bottom.
2. Create layers, making sure to make a complete layer (but not too thick). The layers go in the order: pasta, cheese, vegetables, sauce. 
3. When you reach the top layer of sauce, then add one more layer of pasta, sauce, then the reserved mozzarella and a bit of parmesan.
4. Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet. Use foil to tent the dish, but allow for ventilation. 
5. Bake lasagna for 40 minutes with the foil on. Then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. 
6. After the hour of baking, remove the lasagna from the oven. Baked pastas like to rest a bit before being sliced and served. They hold up a bit better. If you can't wait, just don't expect a stack--it will still taste delicious though. Wait for 10-20 minutes, if you can stand it. 
7. Enjoy!