Colorful Vegetable Lasagna and Easy Balsamic Marinara

I've enjoyed cooking for awhile, and this is one of the first recipes that I had made that I was really proud of myself for conquering.  It's a nice twist on a basic lasagna, and even the sauce has a twist since it has balsamic vinegar in it.  For those of you that think that sounds weird-don't shy away from it-it's really faint and just enhances the flavors of the sauce. The sauce itself is really good and tastes great on any pasta dish. If you follow the recipe, you will make more than enough sauce for this recipe, so I like to freeze the rest and have it ready to go for quick pasta dinners.

The original recipe does not call for eggplant-and I think the reason for that is because eggplant can get really watery when cooked.  Cook's Illustrated has a foolproof method to avoid this and I can honestly say that it actually works.

This might not be the prettiest dish in the world-I actually find that it falls apart once you cut into it, but the taste is really fabulous!  I made this recently because I found the most fabulous zucchini and the farmer's market, but you can go ahead and use whatever combination of vegetables that you like.

Colorful Vegetable Lasagna

1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped onion
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 small-medium eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced cremini or portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
5 cups Easy Balsamic Marinara, divided (recipe below)
12 precooked lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray

Combine eggplant with 1 teaspoon table salt in large bowl. Place a double-layer of coffee filters or paper towels on a plate and lightly spray with cooking spray. Spread eggplant in a single layer over the filters or paper towels.  Microwave, uncovered, about 10 minutes, until dry to the touch and slightly shriveled,  stirring once halfway through. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, wipe out the bowl.  Return the slightly cooled eggplant to the bowl and stir in the zucchini and squash.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms; sauté 15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and liquid from the mushrooms evaporates. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Season to taste with Kosher salt and pepper.

Mix together 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and egg in a small-medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup Easy Balsamic Marinara over the bottom of prepared baking dish; top with 3 noodles. Spoon and additional cup of sauce over noodles. Top evenly with one-third of ricotta/mozzarella mixture followed by one-third of vegetable mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Top with additional cup of sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Easy Balsamic Marinara

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken broth
3 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and next 6 ingredients, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

To store in the freezer: Ladle room-temperature or chilled sauce into plastic containers or zip-top plastic bags. Seal and freeze for up to four months.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light, 2007, method for eggplant from Cook's Illustrated