Name: Comforting Lentil Lasagne
Total time: PT1hour30minutes
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pouches Merchant Gourmet Tomatoey French Lentils; 1 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 celery sticks, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp cumin seeds; ½ tsp chilli powder; 4 tbsp tomato purée; 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes; Small handful Merchant Gourmet Porcini Mushrooms, rehydrated (stock reserved); 1 vegetable stock cube; 100ml red wine; Olive oil, for cooking; Salt and black pepper; 50g butter; 50g plain flour; 500ml milk; 1 tsp sumac; 50g Parmesan, grated; 50g Cheddar, grated, plus extra for topping; Few gratings nutmeg; Salt and black pepper; 8 dried lasagne sheets; Pinch cumin seeds

Comforting Lentil Lasagne

Layers of rich Tomatoey French Lentils, earthy porcini mushrooms and a creamy sumac-spiced béchamel come together in this comforting plant-forward lasagne. Perfect for dinner parties, family meals or make-ahead lunches, it's a hearty dish packed with flavour and texture.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the cumin, oregano, cumin seeds, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir through the tomato purée and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the Merchant Gourmet Tomatoey French Lentils, chopped tomatoes, porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid, stock cube and red wine.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rich and thickened.
Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.
Add the flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.
Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth and thickened.
Stir in the sumac, nutmeg, Parmesan, Cheddar, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
Spread a layer of lentil ragù into a large baking dish. Top with 4 lasagne sheets.
Spoon over half the béchamel and a little extra cheese.
Repeat with another layer of ragù, lasagne sheets and béchamel.
Finish with the remaining béchamel, a sprinkle of cumin seeds and the remaining cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Allow to rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.