For the last episode of Alphabetti we have a Ziti Lasagne because nothing beats a lasagne especially when it's got perfectly crisp edges, a silky, savoury bechamel and a rich umami ragu. This version has long ziti pasta for a fun twist but feel free to use normal lasagne sheets.
Add the mushrooms, carrots and onion to a food processor in separate batches and blitz until finely chopped.
Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat with a big glug of extra virgin olive oil. Tip in the mushrooms and fry until some of the moisture has evaporated then add the chopped carrot and onion with a generous pinch of salt, and stir. Fry for roughly 15 minutes until everything softens and all the moisture evaporates, adding the garlic in once everything begins to soften.
Once the moisture has evaporated, add the tomato paste, miso, ground cumin and five spice with another splash of oil if needed. Stir everything together until fully combined then fry until the mixture deepens in colour and begins to caramelise.
Then add the lentils and tins of tomatoes. Add 1 tin of water then cover, lower the temperature and simmer for as long as desired to intensify flavour, around 30-45 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the bechamel. Melt the vegan butter and add the sage leaves, and gently bubble until it begins to brown and become fragrant. Remove the sage leaves and add the flour. Stir until a paste forms and cook for another view minutes.
Gradually whisk in the soy milk until it's all incorporated then add the miso, nutritional yeast and mustard, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Boil the long ziti in a deep, wide frying pan until softened then rinse until cold water.
In a large baking dish add a layer of the ragu followed by the pasta lined up tightly, top with bechamel and vegan cheese then repeat all of the above until you've filled the dish. Top with your favourite vegan cheese then bake for 35 minutes and serve hot. Enjoy!
