Mascarpone and Cauliflower Lasagna

Makes 1 lasagna

4 cups cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, roughly minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 ounces Mascarpone cheese
1 pound lasagna noodles
4 cups prepared tomato sauce
1 ball fresh mozzarella sliced into 10-12 slices
Parsley, roughly chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the cauliflower florets until fork tender, about 5-7 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and remove the cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor using a slotted spoon. Do not discard the cooking water.

While the cauliflower boils, heat the olive oil in a 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the mascarpone cheese, allowing it to melt before transferring the entire mixture the bowl of the food processor containing the cauliflower.

Process the entire mixture for 1-2 minutes until smooth. If the mixture looks too dry add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. Set aside.

Add the lasagna noodles to the hot water that the cauliflower was in and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. While the noodles soak, heat the prepared pasta sauce over low heat. Drain the noodles and prepare everything for assembly.

Add a layer of the pasta sauce to the bottom of 9” x 13” baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles and a layer of the cauliflower sauce. Repeat the process until all the noodles are used. You should have about 7 layers. End with a layer of pasta sauce and a layer of cauliflower sauce. Top with the sliced mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Place the baking dish on a large baking sheet and bake the lasagna for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley. Cut and serve hot.