Vegan lasagna

Instructions

1. Heat up a heavy-bottomed pot (a frying pan will be too shallow for this amount of sauce) and pour 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on the bottom.

2. Once the oil warms up and starts simmering gently, add finely sliced onion. Saute on low-medium until softened, stirring from time to time (about 5 minutes total).

3. Stir in chopped garlic. Saute for a few more minutes until garlic gets fragrant, but not browned.

4. Stir in tomato paste and chilli paste (if using).

5. Next, tip in chopped tomatoes and 500 ml / 2 cups of water. Cover with a lid and allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer.

6. Simmer covered for about 1 hour, until the tomatoes lose their firmness and become mushy.

7. Next, take the lid off and simmer for another hour or so, giving the sauce a good stir every 20 minutes or so, especially towards the end as the sauce thickens and can therefore burn more easily.

8. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and dried herbs. Take off the heat when the sauce has still retained a little bit of moisture (don't let it dry out too much) and allow the sauce to cool before assembling your lasagna.

9. Cut aubergines / eggplants into 2 cm / 0.75" thick slices lengthwise.

10. Salt each slice (especially where the seeds are) with salt and place in a colander in a sink or over a large dinner plate / tray. Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes. The salting step is not always necessary as these days aubergines are hardly even bitter, but it is a precaution you may want to take just in case, especially when cooking for guests.

11. Rinse the salt off under the tap and pat aubergine / eggplant slices dry with a kitchen towel.

12. Heat up the oven to 225° C / 435° F and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper.

13. Place dry aubergine / eggplant slices on a tray (you may need to do that in two batches) and bake for about 30 minutes - until they get softer and lightly golden.

14. Place rinsed cashews in an upright blender with approximately 360 ml / 1½ cup water. Blend until smooth and creamy.

15. Add garlic, miso paste, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt and pepper and process until super smooth and creamy.

16. Just before assembly, transfer cashew bechamel to a medium pot and place on a hob. Whisk in tapioca starch with a wire whisk. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer whisking the whole time. Simmer until the bechamel thickens. If the sauce is too thick (it should be thick but still pourable) whisk in a bit more water.

17. Heat up the oven to 180° C / 355° F fan forced (or 200° C / 390° F regular setting).

18. Line the bottom of the dish with aubergine / eggplant slices. Choose the meatier / thicker pieces if you haven't managed to make them all identical.

19. Next, spread about a cup of tomato sauce followed by lasagna sheets.

20. Spread about a cup of tomato sauce followed by another layer of aubergine / eggplant.

21. Spread about a cup of tomato sauce followed by lasagna sheets.