Spinach & Ricotta Lasagne

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 800 g chopped tomatoes
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 250 g ricotta
• 200 g baby spinach
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 8 lasagne sheets, broken into rough pieces
• 125 g mozzarella, torn
• 40 g parmesan, grated
• salt and black pepper to taste
• ciabatta, to serve
• crisp green salad, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic, tomato puree and oregano and cook for 1 minute until rich and fragrant.
3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, add the red lentils, season well and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has deepened in colour and thickened slightly.
4. While that simmers, mix the ricotta with the lemon zest in a small bowl and season with black pepper.
5. Stir the spinach into the tomato sauce a handful at a time and let it wilt down completely.
6. Tuck in the broken lasagne sheets, making sure they are mostly covered by the sauce, then spoon over little dollops of the ricotta mixture.
7. Cover and simmer gently for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice around the edges, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened to a glossy, spoonable consistency.
8. Scatter over the mozzarella and parmesan, then slide under a hot grill for 5 to 8 minutes until bubbling and golden in patches.
9. Leave to stand for 5 minutes so it settles into neat, creamy spoonfuls.