Meat-free lasagne with polenta, chargrilled veggies and feta

INGREDIENTS

For the tomato sauce:

• 1 red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• Pinch dried chilli flakes
• Splash balsamic vinegar

For the polenta:

• 500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup polenta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

You will also need:

• 8 slices pre-chargrilled eggplant, drained and skin removed*
• 200g good-quality feta cheese
• 2 zucchinis
• 6 tablespoons good-quality pesto sauce ~ or you can use this pesto recipe of mine
• Extra Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 sliced sourdough bread, whizzed into fine breadcrumbs
• Light olive oil spray
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

*You can buy these from most supermarket/gourmet shop deli counters.
*Note: the baking dishes I used to prepare the polenta and the lasagne itself, measured approx.: 32cm x 24cm x 6cm.

METHOD

1. To make the polenta, bring stock to the boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Add polenta and stir well until thoroughly combined. Add butter and continue to stir until melted, reduce heat to low and gently cook, stirring occasionally for approx. 20 minutes. Add grated Parmesan and stir to combine. Pour into a lightly greased baking tray measuring (see note above re. size). Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
2. While polenta is chilling, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a medium saucepan, add chopped onion and garlic, cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat, then add the chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes and balsamic, stir and simmer over low-medium heat for 20 mints, stirring often to avoid the mixture sticking to the bottom of the pot.
3. Very carefully slice both zucchinis on your finest setting on a mandolin (0.75mm) (or slice as finely as you can by hand), place into a bowl and spray with olive oil, coat slices thoroughly. Chargrill lightly on each side for 50-60 seconds on a hot griddle pan then drain in paper towel.
4. To assemble the ‘lasagne’, pour half the tomato mixture into the bottom of a heat-proof baking dish (again see note above re. size) and spread out evenly. Crunble half the feta all over the sauce evenly.
5. Remove the polenta from the fridge and carefully lay the chilled sheet over the tomato and feta, you may need to patch it up a little if it breaks whilst being transferred but it doesn’t really matter as it’s not seen in the final dish. Spread the pesto evenly over the polenta, then top with the eggplant and cover with the remaining tomato sauce followed by the remaining feta, again finely crumbled over.
6. Finally top with the chargrilled zucchini slices and a good handful of grated Parmesan mixed with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Serve piping hot