Vegan Eggplant, Red Pepper & Pesto Lasagne
From: Alice - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Serves 6-8 people

• 3 medium eggplants
  
• coarse salt
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• 4 medium red peppers
  
• 750g jar of pasta sauce
  
• 250g packet instant lasagne sheets
  
• soy cheese

PESTO:

• 90g shelled pistachio nuts
  
• 1 cup fimly packed frsh basil leaves
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic crushed

Grease a 6cm deep 20cm x 30cm overproof dish. Cut eggplant into 1cm slices, sprinkle with salt. stand 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold water, drain, pat dry.

Heat oil in pan, add eggplant in batches, cook until browned on both sides; drain on absorbant paper.

Quarter peppers, remove the seeds and membranes. Grill peppers skin side up, until skin blisters and blackens. Peel away skin, cut peppers into thick strips.

Spread one third of pasta sauce into prepared dish, top with one third of lasagne sheets another third of pasta sauce, half the eggplants, another third of lasagne sheets, the remaining pasta sauce, peppers, lasagne sheets and eggplants.

Spread pistachio pesto over eggplant and top with soy cheese.

Bake in moderate oven for about 40 mins. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.

PESTO: blend or process pistachio nuts, basil, olive oil and garlic until well combined.

Pesto and red peppers can be added through out the lasagne assembly.