With all of the cold weather that we have been having, I have been craving some comfort food and one of my favourite comfort foods is lasagna. Although the classic tomato meat sauce lasagna is one of my staple recipes I often like to experiment with new flavours of lasagna and this weekend I tried a new one. I still have a ton of roasted red peppers in my freezer from fall and I have been dreaming up new ways of enjoying and a lasagna sounded like a great idea! While contemplating a lasagna with roasted red peppers I recalled the grilled goat cheese and roasted red pepper pesto sandwich that I had recently made and enjoyed so much. The sweet roasted red pepper and creamy and tangy goat cheese combination was amazing and I knew that I would once again have to pair them up in this lasagna.
A lasagna generally has a sauce layer which is commonly a tomato and meat sauce and a creamy/cheesy layer which is often made with ricotta or a bechamel sauce. I was thinking that I could use the roasted red peppers as the base flavour of the sauce but I liked the sound of using them as solid layer within the lasagna even better. Next up was the goat cheese and at first I was just going to sprinkle the goat cheese on as a layer in the lasagna but as I was thinking about the cheese layer I realized that I could just use a bechamel sauce and melt the goat cheese right into it. How could possibly go wrong with a creamy sauce with melted goat cheese in it?
With the primary flavours of the lasagna worked out I needed a sauce to finish things up and I went with a simple tomato and chicken sauce seasoned with oregano and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Given the presence of the roasted red peppers and the balsamic vinegar I could not help but think of feta so I added some to the mix by sprinkling it into the sauce as I layered the lasagna. I finished things off with a top layer of mozzarella to get a nice golden brown melted cheese top.
The chicken, roasted red pepper and goat cheese lasagna turned out amazingly well! The roasted red pepper and goat cheese combination was once again a winner in this tasty lasagna. I really like the way all of the flavours came together with the balsamic tomato sauce contrasting nicely with all the creamy cheese and the sweetness of the roasted red peppers balanced everything out. I will definitely be making this lasagna again!
Enjoy this lasagna with a side of cheesy garlic toast.
Chicken, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Lasagna
(makes 6-9 servings)Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
1 handful parsley (chopped)
6 lasagne noodles (I used whole wheat)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
6 ounces goat cheese
3 large roasted red peppers
1 cup feta (crumbled)
1 cup mozzarella (grated)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken (cooked and shredded)
1 handful parsley (chopped)
6 lasagne noodles (I used whole wheat)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
6 ounces goat cheese
3 large roasted red peppers
1 cup feta (crumbled)
1 cup mozzarella (grated)
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Mix in the chicken and parsley and set aside.
7. Start cooking the noodles as directed on the package.
8. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it is bubbling and it has turned a light golden brown.
9. Mix in the flour and let simmer until it returns to a light golden brown.
10. Mix in the milk, nutmeg and goat cheese and heat until it thickens.
11. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.
12. Place a layer of noodles* followed by 1/2 of the tomato sauce followed by 1/2 of the feta followed by 1/2 of the roasted red peppers followed by 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Repeat a second layer in the same fashion and top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining bechamel sauce and top with the mozzarella.
13. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbling, about 30-45 minutes.
* To form one layer of noodles in the 8 inch square pan, cut two noodles 2/3 of the way down and use the 2 1/3 noodles to make a full row.
1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Mix in the chicken and parsley and set aside.
7. Start cooking the noodles as directed on the package.
8. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it is bubbling and it has turned a light golden brown.
9. Mix in the flour and let simmer until it returns to a light golden brown.
10. Mix in the milk, nutmeg and goat cheese and heat until it thickens.
11. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.
12. Place a layer of noodles* followed by 1/2 of the tomato sauce followed by 1/2 of the feta followed by 1/2 of the roasted red peppers followed by 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Repeat a second layer in the same fashion and top with a final layer of noodles, the remaining bechamel sauce and top with the mozzarella.
13. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbling, about 30-45 minutes.
* To form one layer of noodles in the 8 inch square pan, cut two noodles 2/3 of the way down and use the 2 1/3 noodles to make a full row.
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Take a look at the Presto Pasta Nights roundup this Friday on Tastes of Home.
