Vegetarian Lentil Lasagne

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

200g swiss brown mushrooms, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

½ cup dry red wine

2 x 400g cans lentils, drained, rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

700g bottle tomato passata with basil

1 cup vegetable stock

400ml tub sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup grated pizza cheese

5 fresh lasagne sheets

800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, thinly sliced

2 zucchini, peeled into ribbons

Fresh oregano leaves, to serve

Chopped fresh basil leaves, to serve

Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, celery and mushroom, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic and dried herbs. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes or until reduced by half. Add lentils, tomato paste, passata and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened. Season. Stand for 10 minutes to cool.

Place sour cream, eggs and half the cheese in a bowl. Stir to combine. Season.

Cut 4 x 50cm pieces of baking paper. Place one piece on a flat surface. Spray with oil. Top with a second piece. Repeat to make a second stack. Place stacks on top of each other to form a cross. Carefully place in a greased 5.5-litre slow cooker bowl and press against base and side to line bowl. Trim paper if necessary so it sits about 5cm below rim of bowl.

Reserve ⅓ cup sour cream mixture. Place 1 lasagne sheet in base of prepared bowl, trimming to fit. Spoon 1⁄4 of the lentil mixture over lasagne sheet. Arrange ¼ of the butternut pumpkin and zucchini, slightly overlapping over top. Drizzle with 1⁄4 of the remaining sour cream mixture. Repeat layers 3 more times. Top with remaining lasagne sheet, trimming to fit. Drizzle with reserved sour cream mixture, spreading to cover top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover with lid. Cook on low for 4 hours or until lasagne sheets and pumpkin are tender. Stand for 10 minutes (see notes). Sprinkle with oregano and basil. Serve with salad.