Rocket and Roses Brussels Sprout Spelt Lasagne

Kitchen Play List: Bonnie Raitt ~ Something to Talk About
                                     Shakira ~ Ready for the Good Times
                                     Thunder ~ Everybody Wants Her
                                     Tom Baxter ~ Better
                                     Pearl Jam ~ Why Go
                                     Jace Everett ~ I Gotta Have It
                                     Shakira ~ Ojos Asi

I have to confess when I was creating this lasagne I had an evil little chuckle going on inside my head. Nope I am not hearing voices...lol I just know many people hate the little green globes of loveliness known as Brussels Sprouts. But as I confessed, in previous posts, I.Love.Them! Paid up member of the Sprouts Fan Club..lol 

Rocket and Roses Brussels Sprout Spelt Lasagne

I received an email from a lady called Beth who had purchased some Organic Spelt Lasagne sheets from her local health food shop. She had never made any kind of lasagne before and was wondering if Spelt would even be able to be cooked the same way as regular...the answer was a very simple..Yes. But as I also had some sat in my dried stocks I thought I would use them as this weeks Mystery Ingredient Challenge item. 

Organic Spelt Lasagne Sheets

I also had a large bag of sprouts waiting to be used up and the recipe flowed from that moment. I have been toying with the idea of a sprout lasagne for some time and today seemed like the right day to put the thoughts down on paper and make it. The only part I hadn't settled on was the white sauce and this lasagne really needed that extra layer. I made the sauce up as I went along choosing to use blitzed white beans, soya milk and Nutritional Yeast as the base of it. I added some garlic juice but a small garlic clove crushed and blended in would work just as well. I felt that it needed just that something more so added some ground nutmeg and at that point I was satisfied.

Now you could substitute the Spelt Lasagne sheets for any other kind from white to Gluten Free and this lasagne would work fine. 

The lasagne smelt so good when it was baking away in the oven. I was a little disappointed that the topping had cracked but I think I shall embrace it and call it the 'distressed' look..Hey it works for paint work and jeans, why can't it work for lasagne?? lol. The flavours were so good. You get the garlic tomato which has melted into the creamy bean sauce and the almost bitter sweetness from the pieces of sprouts which hadn't gone to mush which had been a concern. The spelt lasagne is very like wholemeal lasagne in texture and taste which for me is very pleasing. I am so happy with how this lasagne came out...crackled distressed topping and all! lol 

The distressed look for lasagne this winter! lol Rocket and Roses Brussels Sprout Spelt Lasagne alternative view! lol

Rocket and Roses Brussels Sprout Spelt Lasagne Serves 4
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Vegan Kitchen)

9 Spelt lasagne sheets
1lb Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and sliced
1 tsp Rapeseed Oil or oil of choice
2 garlic cloves, grated
water as needed

1 tsp rapeseed oil or oil of choice
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
Low sodium salt and freshly cracked black pepper to season to taste

2 14oz tins of Haricot beans, rinsed and drained
6 fl oz non dairy milk of choice
1 small garlic clove, crushed or 4 squirts of Garlic juice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large sauce pan heat the oil for the tomato sauce and add the garlic and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Then add the chopped tomatoes and stir well to combine. Cook over a med heat, covered for 15 minutes. Then remove the cover stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to your taste and then using a hand blender blitz until it is smooth. Set to one side. 

In a large skillet heat the oil for the brussel sprouts and add the garlic and brussels. Stir well to combine and saute for 5 minutes uncovered so that the garlic has infused the sprouts then cover and cook until the sprouts are 'just' tender...you don't want that awful sprouts mush texture!! lol. If your sprouts begin to get too brown add some water to the pan to steam them. Remove from the heat and set to one side. 

Add the haricot beans to a food processor and pulse to break them down. Then with the motor running drizzle in the soya milk and leave to process for a few minutes, stopping to spatula down any stray beans etc. Then add the garlic and process to combine for 1 minute. Add the Nutmeg and Nutritional Yeast and leave to blend for a further 4 minutes. 

NB: Obviously...if you have a more powerful processor than I do, this stage won't take nearly as long as mine did. After all that time blending I still didn't have a smooth paste...the cause of much Urghing in the kitchen for me...so you can judge the smoothness by the strength of your blender...and if you do have a good one...I don't want to know! lol ~R~  

In a shallow lasagne/baking dish place a couple of spoonfuls of the tomato sauce into the bottom and swirl it around to cover the base and cover with 3 lasagne sheets. Then spoon half of the sprouts to make the first layer...then add tomato sauce...then dollop six spoonfuls of the creamy bean sauce and gently spread over to form the next layer. Then repeat starting with the lasagne sheets. To finish add a final layer of lasagne sheets and top with the remaining tomato sauce and the smother with the remaining creamy bean sauce. Smooth over to level. 

Cover loosely with tin foil and place on a tray in a pre-heated oven at 375'F/190'C/Gas Mark 5 for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Serve with a lush salad or steamed broccoli and green beans. 

Thanks to Beth for suggestion of Spelt Lasagne..hope you like sprouts? lol 

Enjoy! 
~R~