Sanjay says: “This is a lasagne for when you have a little spare time to get the tunes on, don your apron and cook up a storm. It makes enough for a good meal with leftovers for the next day. For a vegan-friendly version, replace the butter, milk, Cheddar and Parmesan with plant-based alternatives.”

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

800g (1lb 12oz) Big Batch Tomato Sauce (page below)
2 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed (canola) oil
1 red onion, peeled, halved and cut into half moons
2 red (bell) peppers, tops removed, deseeded and sliced
250g (9oz) mushrooms, chopped
1 courgette (zucchini), diced
1 aubergine (eggplant), diced
½ tsp Harissa (page recipe above)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8–10 lasagne sheets (or more, depending on the size of your dish)

For the pesto:

75g (5½oz) shelled pistachio nuts
30g (2¼oz) basil leaves and stems, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
20g (¾oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½
½ tsp salt

For the cheese sauce:

300ml (1¼ cups) milk
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
50g (3½ tbsp) butter
150g (5½oz) mature Cheddar cheese

Topping:

1 big tomato, thinly sliced
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (or firm mozzarella if you have some)
½ tsp Italian Seasoning (see below)

To serve:

Garlic bread

Method

Gently warm the tomato sauce in a large saucepan. When it comes up to heat, set aside.

To make the pesto, simply put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. You can add a splash of water if you need to loosen things up a bit.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion, and fry for a couple of minutes until softened. Add the red peppers, mushrooms, courgette, aubergine, harissa, salt and pepper.

Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes or until the veggies take on some colour. Stir in the pesto and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

For the cheese sauce, pour the milk into a large saucepan and add the flour and butter. Set over a medium heat and begin to whisk. As the milk warms through, the butter will melt and the flour will disappear. Keep whisking as everything combines and thickens. Once it starts to bubble, add the cheese. Once it has melted turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/410°F/gas mark 6½ and grab a large ovenproof baking dish: it’s time to build your lasagne! Start with half the pesto-veggie mix, then half the tomato sauce, followed by a layer of lasagne sheets. Top with half the cheese sauce and repeat, finishing with a final layer of lasagne sheets and the other half of the cheese sauce on the top. Arrange the sliced tomatoes and shake over the Parmesan and Italian seasoning.

Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After the cooking time is up, take off the foil and return the dish to the oven for a final 10 minutes to get the cheesy topping bubbling and brown. Place on the middle of your table with a big spoon so that everyone can dive in. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Big Batch Tomato Sauce

Makes about 500ml (2 cups) sauce

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 large red or white onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 aubergines (eggplants), trimmed and finely chopped
3 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped
2 (bell) peppers (red, orange or yellow or a combination), deseeded and finely chopped
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
800g (1lb 12oz) fresh tomatoes, diced
or 2 x 400g (14oz) cans chopped or plum tomatoes
200ml (scant 1 cup) water

Optional:

1 tbsp freshly chopped herbs
½ tsp Harissa
You will need a large, lidded, heavy-bottomed frying pan (skillet).

Method

Heat the olive oil in your pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the minced garlic and let it sizzle for 10 seconds, stirring to ensure it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

Then, add in all your veggies and give everything a good stir. Add the Italian seasoning, scrunching the herbs between your palms over the pan as you drop them in. This releases the oils and will make a difference to the end flavour. Add in the salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly again to combine.

Turn down the heat as far as it will go, pop your lid on and let everything cook for 30 minutes, or until the veggies start to colour slightly. Be sure to stir regularly. If the mixture is catching, you can add a splash of water.

Once your veggies have softened and taken on some colour, it’s time to add your diced tomatoes (if you’re using canned ones, be sure to break them up with a wooden spoon). Add in the water and turn up the heat until you get a good simmer going. If you are using any fresh herbs, now is the time to add them. You can also add the harissa blend if you would like your sauce to have a little kick.

When your sauce is bubbling, reduce the heat again and let everything cook for an hour or so. The sauce will reduce and thicken and the flavours will develop beautifully. If it becomes too thick, add more water.

Let it cool a little, then, using a stick blender, blitz to form a lovely smooth sauce. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if you think it needs more. Again, add a little more water if you think the sauce needs to be slightly thinner. It can be used immediately or you can cool then freeze it in individual portions ready for when you need some.

Italian Seasoning

Makes 100g (3½oz)

Ingredients

22g dried basil
22g dried oregano
11g dried rosemary
22g dried parsley
16g dried thyme
4g garlic granules
4g onion granules

Method

No need for blitzing or grinding here, just mix your ingredients together thoroughly by hand in a small bowl. Label and store in a clean jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Spice Kitchen by Sanjay Aggarwal (Quadrille, £22) is out now

Spice Kitchen: 3 flavour-packed recipes to replace your Sunday roast with this summer