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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