Meatball and Veg Lasagna with Courgette Sheets

This syn free lasagna is perfect when you have leftover veggies you want to use in something different.   Whenever the cooker's on I like to fill the shelves and often throw a couple of peppers and red onions on a tray and freeze the roasted veg, I’ve used some in this sauce but you can use whatever you have to hand, as long as it’s cut small enough to be in a lasagna.

Now to be fair this is not as robust as if I’d used ‘proper’ lasagna sheets and ended up being more like layers of sliced meatballs and veggies topped with melted cheese. Not quite the look I was going for but it tasted really good and was a good way to get me to eat veg!

Ingredients:

1 bag of Slimming World meatballs defrosted

2 boxes passata

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes

2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs

Chicken stock gel pod

Mixed veggies (I used roasted peppers and onions plus some mushrooms I had in the fridge – cut small)

4 large courgettes

Cheese of your choice (HEA)

Frylite

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 or Gas mark 6

In a large stockpot quickly brown the meatballs in some frylite (I used garlic).  You’re not cooking them through as that will happen in the sauce

When the meatballs are browned add the passata, herbs and spices as well as the veggies to the stock. Don’t add the courgettes as they’re your lasagna sheets!

Give it a stir and leave to bubble away, your cooking through ad adding flavor to the meatballs.  If you need add more herbs or spices – it’s personal taste.  This will need about 30-45 minutes to cook.

Time to make your ‘lasagna’ sheets.  I tried a couple of ways and found the best was to cut the bottom of the courgette off, hold by the stalk and, using a potato peeler, peel away from you the length of the courgette.  They’re really thin (obviously) and maybe could’ve done with being thicker but I could always have doubled/tripled up.

Hole the end of the courgette and potato peel your lasagna sheets

You'll end up with a plate of cpurgette slices that look like this

When you have a pile of them it’s time to start assembling the lasagna.

I used a loaf tin and lightly misted the inside with fry lite before starting so the lasagna wouldn’t stick.

There are 16 meatballs in a packed to take out four and slice.  Make these the bottom layer of your lasagna along with the veggies.  You don’t want the mixture to be too wet or it’ll just fall apart.

Layer the meatball/veg mixture with courgette slices

Next add the courgette slices, on top add the next meatball/veggie mixture.  

Each layer of courgette slices I do in a different direction so the first is lengthways, the second widthways – gives the finished meal more strength to stand up (I do this with pasta too).

Top with grated cheese

Keep going until you’ve filled the tin, with the top layer being veggies and then add grated cheese

Put the loaf tin on a baking tray in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown

Bake the meatball and veg lasagna until golden brown

Leave to stand for 10-15 minutes and serve with salad or sw chips (or both!)