Layered Quinoa "Ratatouille" Lasagna
 
 
Part roasted vegetable lasagna, part ratatouille, this end of summer dish is the perfect way to celebrate your last and best garden picks. This is slow food--Don’t make it when you’re in a hurry. Take the time to slow roast the tomatoes, letting them collapse into a complex, jammy sauce. If you are running short on time, don’t have access to enough fresh tomatoes, or just don’t have enough oven space, follow the recipe for canned tomatoes. The eggplant, red bell peppers, squash and eggplant should be spotted golden on the outside, and will melt with buttery smoothness on the inside.
Author:
Serves: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
  • For the Vegetables:
  • 2 small eggplants (or 1 medium), cut into ¼ inch sheets
  • 1 medium yellow squash, cut into ¼ inch sheets
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¼ inch sheets
  • 2 red bell peppers, cored and sliced into sheets
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • For the Quinoa:
  • 1½ cups dry quinoa, rinsed well and drained
  • 3 cups water (scant)
  • 2 small sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan, plus more for garnish (optional)
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 recipe Slow-Roasted or Slow-Simmered Tomato Sauce (see below)
Instructions
  1. To ensure good timing, start making the slow-roasted tomato sauce first.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and toss to coat. Arrange the sliced red bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant in a single layer on two baking sheets. Roast in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. Check the vegetables sporadically, as some will cook faster than others. Remove pieces that are softened and specked golden, then allow the remaining vegetables to finish cooking.
  3. Place the washed quinoa and a scant 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
  4. Stir the olive oil, herbs, parmesan (if using) and kosher salt into the quinoa.
  5. Reduce the oven heat to 375˚F. Spread a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 11’’ casserole dish, followed by a layer of roasted vegetables, then the quinoa mixture.
  6. Repeat in the same order--sauce, vegetables, and ending with quinoa, until all ingredients are used. Sprinkle the top lightly with parmesan.
  7. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the sauce layers bubble and the top is golden in places.
Recipe by Spoon With Me at https://spoonwithme.com/quinoa-ratatouille-a-post-in-pictures/