Homemade Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk cottage cheese
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (2 cups)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1½ pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 pound yellow summer squash, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 12 ounces (12 cups) baby spinach
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, minced
• 12 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1. For the tomato sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
• 2. For the cream sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in second bowl; set aside.
• 3. For the filling and noodles: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Line large plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters; wipe out and reserve bowl. Microwave eggplant until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through microwaving. Let cool slightly. Return eggplant to bowl and toss with zucchini and summer squash.

Instructions

1. 1Whisk the crushed tomatoes, quarter cup of chopped basil, two tablespoons of olive oil, two minced garlic cloves, one teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes in a bowl to create the tomato sauce. Set it aside.
2. 2In a separate bowl, whisk the cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, heavy cream, two minced garlic cloves, cornstarch, half teaspoon of salt, and half teaspoon of pepper to make the cream sauce. Set it aside.
3. 3Toss the diced eggplant with one teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Line a large plate with a double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with cooking oil. Spread the eggplant in an even layer and microwave until dry to the touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. This step removes excess moisture so your lasagna doesn't turn out watery.
4. 4Return the cooled eggplant to the bowl and toss it with the zucchini and summer squash. In a small bowl, mix one tablespoon of olive oil with four minced garlic cloves and the fresh thyme.
5. 5Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the vegetable mixture, season with a quarter teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and cook until lightly browned, about seven minutes.
6. 6Push the vegetables to the outer edges of the skillet. Spoon half of the garlic and thyme mixture into the center, pressing it down until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir the garlic into the vegetables and transfer everything to a medium bowl.
7. 7Pour another two tablespoons of oil into the skillet and repeat the cooking process with the remaining vegetable mixture and garlic paste. Transfer the second batch to the bowl.
8. 8Pour the final teaspoon of olive oil into the empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the baby spinach and cook, stirring often, until completely wilted, about three minutes. Move the spinach to a paper towel-lined plate to drain for two minutes, then mix it into the bowl with the cooked vegetables.
9. 9Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread one cup of the tomato sauce across the bottom. Place four lasagna noodles over the sauce, allowing the edges to overlap slightly.
10. 10Distribute half of the cooked vegetable mixture over the noodles, then scatter a quarter cup of minced kalamata olives on top. Drizzle half of the cream sauce over the vegetables and finish with one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
11. 11Build the next layer with four more noodles, another cup of tomato sauce, the remaining vegetable mixture, the remaining quarter cup of olives, the rest of the cream sauce, and a second cup of mozzarella.
12. 12Create the top layer by placing the last four noodles over the cheese. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the noodles, making sure they are entirely covered. Scatter the final cup of mozzarella cheese evenly across the top.
13. 13Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking oil and cover the baking dish tightly. Bake the lasagna until the edges bubble vigorously, about 35 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time.
14. 14Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 25 minutes. The resting time allows the layers to set up for clean slicing. Garnish the top with the remaining two tablespoons of chopped fresh basil before serving.

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