Pane Carasau Lasagna: My Light Vegetarian Version
After holiday breaks and a few ups and downs, here I am finally with the recipe for my reimagined pane carasau lasagna. If you follow me, you know I can never reproduce a dish without adding my own twist!
The original Sardinian version (the famous Pane Frattau or classic carasau lasagna) usually includes sauce, meat and béchamel. While delicious, it didn’t suit my dietary needs, especially in summer. So I turned a potential “flop” into a surprising revelation!
The secret: Zucchini and Almond Pesto
Instead of béchamel, I created a deliberately coarse zucchini pesto. The crunchy note from the almonds inside will win you over at the first bite, giving a pleasant yet soft texture.
Lightness and Color
To keep the look of traditional lasagna while avoiding the heaviness of ragù, I added:
Cherry tomato sauce: for the typical splash of color.
Seasonal vegetables: zucchini, eggplant and fresh cherry tomatoes.
Aromatic herbs: lots of basil and mint for an incredible fragrance.
Gratin finish: sliced almonds on top for an irresistible final crunch.
All “vegetarian” recipes exclude meat and/or fish (N.B. they may include other animal-based protein foods such as eggs and cheeses).
Below are other clever vegetarian first-course recipes you might like:
- PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA LASAGNA (Recipe without béchamel)
- WHITE LASAGNA WITH ARTICHOKES AND FAKE CAULIFLOWER BECHAMEL
- GREEN LASAGNA WITH CAULIFLOWER BECHAMEL
- GREEN LASAGNA WITH VEGETABLES AND RICOTTA FLAKES (Recipe without béchamel)
- BAKED TROFIE WITH GREEN BEAN AND PISTACHIO PESTO (Recipe without béchamel)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 20 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE THERE ARE ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the ones I use in my recipes; buying them through my blog helps support me and my work, and it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 4 sheets Pane Carasau (Sardinian flatbread) (about 150 g (approx. 5.3 oz))
- 3 white zucchini
- 1 oval black eggplant
- cups cherry tomatoes (about 300 g (about 10.6 oz))
- 1 onion
- cups tomato passata (strained tomatoes) (I used datterino tomatoes)
- cups vegetable broth
- 3.5 tbsp spreadable fresh cheese (e.g., cream cheese) (about 50 g (about 1.8 oz))
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (grated, about 40 g (about 1.4 oz))
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds (about 30 g (approx. 1 oz))
- 1 oz almonds (unpeeled) (about 30 g)
- to taste aromatic herbs (mint and basil)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Knife
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Tea towel
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Lid
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Baking dish
Preparation
Wash all the vegetables and trim them, starting with the zucchini: remove the ends and cut one of them into thin slices which you will set aside, and cut the rest into small cubes and let them rest for 30 minutes on a sieve/strainer.
After resting, transfer the zucchini cubes to a food processor after you have squeezed out their residual water using a clean tea towel, preferably unscented and free of fabric softeners.
Chop for a few seconds, then add a few mint leaves, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
Pour a little olive oil in a thin stream (about 2 3/4 tbsp), add the spreadable cheese and blend once more. It doesn’t matter if the pesto remains somewhat coarse—that’s the goal—but if you prefer it smoother and more refined, keep chopping until it’s uniform.
Meanwhile, prepare the eggplant: remove the stem and cut it into cubes.
In a non-stick pan, brown the finely chopped onion for 2 minutes with a generous drizzle of oil, then add the eggplant cubes, lower the heat, cover with the lid and simmer for 10 minutes, adding a few ladles of vegetable broth if they dry out too much.
Then add the zucchini slices, stir and close the lid again.
Continue cooking over low heat, adding a few tablespoons of broth as needed, for about another 8 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes halved. Cook another 5 minutes—they don’t need to be fully cooked since there will be a final oven step. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
In a non-stick baking dish, begin assembling the layers: spread a few tablespoons of zucchini pesto and two tablespoons of tomato passata on the bottom, then place the first sheet of pane carasau and lightly moisten it with a few tablespoons of vegetable broth.
Cover the sheet with some pan-fried vegetables, more zucchini pesto, tomato sauce, a sparkling of Parmesan and leaves of basil and mint.
Cover with a second sheet of pane carasau and continue until ingredients are used up. On the top layer, after sprinkling with Parmesan, garnish with sliced almonds.
Place in the oven at 356°F (180°C) for 25 minutes, then use the top broil/grill function for the final gratin for another 5 minutes. Serve slightly warm.
Enjoy your meal from La Cucina di FeFe’!
Storage
👉 You can store the vegetarian pane carasau lasagna in the refrigerator in appropriate containers for 1-2 days. I do not recommend freezing.
1. Where can I find pane carasau?
Even if you haven’t been to beautiful Sardinia, today pane carasau is easily found in large supermarkets and well-stocked grocery stores in the bakery or regional specialties section.
2. Can I prepare it in advance?
Certainly. In fact, by resting, the pane carasau will better absorb the juices of the vegetables and pesto, becoming even tastier.
