Feeds 6

Ingredients

1kg small courgettes, sliced and steamed for two minutes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
A large handful of fresh basil, chopped
250g (8oz) cottage, ricotta, feta or soft goat’s cheese, cubed or crumbled if necessary
250g (8oz) no-cook lasagne
300ml (½ pint) béchamel sauce
150ml (¼ pint) crème fraiche or single cream
50g (2oz) cheese, grated
3 free-range egg yolks

For the light tomato sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tsp plain flour
1kg (2lb) ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped or equivalent canned chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt to taste

Method

Preheat an oven to Gas Mark 5/180C/375F.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook over a low heat, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until softened.

Stir in the flour and cook gently, uncovered, for one minute. Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients and mix well. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water as necessary to prevent the sauce from sticking (the finished consistency should be quite thick).

Next, moisten the bottom of an ovenproof dish with a little of the tomato sauce. Make a layer of sliced courgettes and season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle some chopped basil over them. Cover with slices of cheese and moisten with a little more tomato sauce. Cover with strips of lasagne. Continue making these layers until all of the ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of lasagne.

Heat the béchamel gently and stir in the crème fraiche or single cream. Mix in the grated cheese until it melts and season to taste. Off the heat, beat in the free-range egg yolks.

Pour the sauce over the top lasagne layer and bake for one hour or until the topping is deep golden and set.