Topped with mozzarella cheese, this flavorful zucchini lasagna was layered with lots of labor to enhance flavor and texture - two layers of sliced zucchini, a layer of black beans, two layers of zucchini spread, the bechamel sauce, chorizo and onions, and a bottom crust to hold it all together!
Zucchini slices were boiled for only 4 minutes then cooled in ice. I made a simple butter-flour crust, rolled it out, then pressed 'Ancient Grain' tortilla crumbs into the rolled dough. 'Ancient Grains' uses a b
lend of whole grain wheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa, teff, and sorghum. I fried and seasoned the tortillas, put them through the food processor, then pressed them into the butter crust. This would provide a flakey crunch to the casserole.
A layer of black beans was spread out, then covered with the bechamel sauce.
Zucchini spread and bechamel gave the flavor to this dish - no salt was used.
The zucchini spread - I canned 52 pints this year - is made with carrots, kale, onion and garlic, tomato, mashed garbanzos and black beans, and spices. It is so flavorful! Perfect as a spread for toast or as a filling for burritos.
After layering the zucchini, spread, beans and bechamel, I fried a small amount of chorizo and onions, and put them on top.
Mozzarella on top, with toothpicks, so the cheese will not stick to the foil when this is baking.
This casserole held up beautifully when served, keeping its shape when cut into squares, which can be a problem with some lasagna casseroles. I didn't salt the zucchini so juice wouldn't seep throughout the casserole, and I cooled down the bechamel so it would thicken slightly, and remain so even when baked.
The flavor comes from the bechamel sauce, the chorizo and onions, and the zucchini spread, all of it quite flavorful. The crust added a crumbly texture, and made it easy to serve without falling apart.
