Lentil Lasagna

This lasagna skips the red sauce in favour of a spiced tomato-lentil mixture, generously layered with mozzarella and Parmesan between sheets of noodles. Black lentils hold their shape well, which is critical to the interplay of textures in this dish.

5 cups water
1 cup black lentils
½ tsp. fine sea salt
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, cut into ¼” dice
2 stalks celery, cut into ¼” dice
1 large carrot, trimmed, peeled and cut into ¼” dice
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 large red bell peppers, cored and finely chopped
2 tsp. red pepper flakes, such as Aleppo, Maras, or Urfa
1 tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 lb dried lasagna sheets
1½ cups mozzarella, freshly grated
1½ cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil 4 cups water, 1 cup black lentils and ½ tsp. fine sea salt. Turn down the heat to low and cook until the lentils are completely tender but not falling apart, 25-30 minutes. Drain.

Warm 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add the diced onion. Sauté until the onions become translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots. Sauté until the carrots just start to soften, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced red bell peppers, red pepper flakes, garam masala, ground turmeric, ground black pepper and remaining 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to pulse for a few seconds to get a chunky sauce. (Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, pulse and return the sauce to the pot.) Taste and season with fine sea salt.

Fold in the drained cooked lentils. Cook over medium heat until most of the liquid evaporates and the sauce is reduced to about 6 cups. If the mixture feels too runny, thicken by stirring in 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the lasagna sheets. Cook until al dente, per the pkg instructions. Remove and toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil to prevent them from sticking.

In a medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Generously grease a 9x3x2” deep rectangular baking pan with a little butter or extra-virgin olive oil.

Line the base of the prepared baking pan with enough sheets of pasta to cover in a single layer. Cover the pasta with 1½ cups of the tomato-lentil mixture using a spoon or an offset spatula. Sprinkle about ¾ cup of the cheese mixture and place another layer of pasta on top. Repeat and layer with the tomato-lentil mixture and cheese until all the pasta is used. The final layer should be covered with the tomato-lentil mixture and cheese.

Cover the dish tightly with a layer or two of aluminum foil. (If the lasagna goes to the top edge of your pan, place the baking pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any drips.)

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Remove the pan from the oven and remove the foil. Return the pan to the oven and cook on the upper rack until the cheese begins to bubble and turns light brown, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to a month.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Cook’s Notes:

• You can save yourself an extra step with no-boil lasagna sheets, which are thinner and partially cooked.
• A common issue with lasagna making is how wet it ends up. To avoid this, thicken the sauce with a little flour and use low-moisture mozzarella.