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Writer's picturebrkt-ברקט

Lasagna Two Ways

Set the other morning I set out with the idea of spending the day outside. No cooking. Then I realized that I had an excess of ripe tomatoes and that they needed to be cooked before they were beyond saving. I casually asked Ken if he would like to have lasagna. What was I thinking? Of course he wanted lasagna and of course he wanted it with meat.


I don't love meat lasagna. I like it, but really it is not a favorite. However, I do love a good spinach or squash lasagna. So I decided, since the tomatoes would produce a double batch of sauce, to make lasagna two ways.


Lasagna Two Ways


Both recipes call for red sauce, the spinach/cheese layer and cooked lasagna sheets. If you are extremely organized making the recipes below at the same time may be a welcome challenge but after completing this task I came to the conclusion that:

*no one in his or her right mind makes two lasagnas on the same day. pick one or the other*



Red Sauce: (slightly richer than Everyday Tomato Sauce )

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds (675 grams) very ripe tomatoes - preferably roma or small nepal tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic - crushed

1/2 cup l(112 ml) leftover red wine

1 tin (15 ounces / ~ 260 grams) crushed Italian tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato concentrate

1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup (112 ml) filtered water


Directions:

Add oil to saucepan

Turn flame to medium

Rough chop tomatoes and add to pan

Cook tomatoes for approximately 2 minutes until they begin to break down

Add garlic, salt, oregano and peperoncino

Continue cooking 2 minutes

Add wine and sugar

Add tomatoes

Add concentrate if using

Reduce heat to low

Add water and bay leaf

Cover

Simmer 15 minutes

Remove bay leaf

Purée with wand blender


Spinach/Cheese Layer:

Ingredients:

2 large bunches tender spinach (can substitute chard or sorrel or kale)

1 pound (450 grams) ricotta, dry curd or potted cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup (112 grams) grated parmesan

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

ground black pepper


Directions:

Thoroughly wash spinach

Remove any hard or fibrous stems

Put leaves in a colander and place in a bowl slightly larger

Pour boiling water over spinach leaves and leave until they are all wilted

Remove leaves from water

Squeeze the leaves to remove any excess moisture

Add wilted spinach, ricotta, and eggs to bowl

Mix thoroughly or purée with wand blender

Add parmesan and several grinds of black pepper



BT's Vegetarian Lasagna


Layers:

Lasagna noodles

Red sauce

Spinach/Cheese

Squash purée

Béchamel sauce


Ingredients:

1/2 pound (225 grams) lasagna sheets - cooked


For Squash Layer:

1 small kabocha squash (can substitute pumpkin or acorn butternut)

1/2 teaspoon harissa

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves new garlic - crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

4 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


For Béchamel Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions:

For Squash

Roast at 400 F. (200 C.) for 25 minutes

Peel and deseed kabocha and reserve flesh

Add squash to bowl

Add garlic, cumin, paprika, harissa and olive oil

Mix

Add salt

Add honey

Reserve


For Béchamel:

Heat milk in saucepan over low flame until tepid

Remove from heat

In separate saucepan melt butter on low heat

Add flour to butter and mix thoroughly - this is the roux

Cook roux on low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly

Pour 1/3 of tepid milk into roux and whisk briskly to prevent lumps

When roux is thoroughly incorporated, add mustard and remainder of milk

Turn flame up to medium and stir while sauce thickens

Test sauce - if it coats the back of a spoon evenly, it is done


Assembly:

Ladle red sauce into bottom of baking dish - cover surface

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Add spinach/cheese layer

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Add red sauce to cover noodles

Add squash mixture

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Pour béchamel sauce over entire casserole

Cover in aluminum foil - shiny side in

Bake at 375 F. (190 C.) for 45 minutes

Remove foil and let brown in oven for 10 more minutes

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving


BT's Lasagna With Meat Sauce


Lasagna noodles

Meat sauce

Spinach/cheese

Grated Mozzarella


Ingredients:

10 ounces (300 grams) grated mozzarella

1/2 pound (225 grams) lasagna sheets - cooked


For Meat Sauce:

1 pound (450 grams) ground beef

1 medium yellow onion

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 clove garlic - crushed

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (250 ml) red sauce (see above)


Assembly:

Ladle meat sauce into bottom of baking dish - cover surface

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Add spinach/cheese layer

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Add meat sauce to cover noodles

Add layer of lasagna noodles

Spread half of mozzarella cheese over noodles

Ladle meat sauce over cheese

Add layer of noodles

Cover entire lasagna with any leftover red sauce

Cover in aluminum foil - shiny side in

Bake at 375 F. (190 C.) for 45 minutes

Remove foil and let brown in oven for 10 more minutes

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving


Enjoy! !בתיאבון





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