Vegetable Lasagne with Fresh Pasta Sheets

Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic and onion for 2 minutes, then add the courgette, the bell pepper and the Sicilian-style herbs. Fry for 4 - 5 minutes, then add the passata, sugar and water (see pantry for amounts). Cover with the lid and allow to cook gently for 5 minutes or until done. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Weigh the flour and butter (see pantry for amounts). Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and fry until golden, stirring continuously. Add a third of the cream and whisk until fully incorporated.

When the sauce reaches a gentle boil, repeat with the rest of the cream, adding it in two more batches. Add it gradually and whisk continuously to ensure there are no lumps (see Tip). Add the stock and allow to reduce for 3 minutes over high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tip: if there are still lumps after whisking, strain the sauce through a sieve.

Transfer a shallow layer of the tomato sauce to an oven dish, then top with a layer of the lasagne sheets (see Tip). Top with a thin layer of the creamy sauce and then another thin layer of tomato sauce. Repeat until all of the lasagne sheets have been used, then finish the lasagne with the rest of the creamy sauce. 

Tip: cut the lasagne sheets into smaller pieces if necessary to fit your oven dish.