A vegetarian lasagna with layers of flat-shaped pasta alternated with creamy spinach and tomato sauce, topped with cheese. The lasagna is baked till pasta is cooked while the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts. Ensure to place the baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any overflow or drippings. Once baked, allow it to rest before cutting. It sets beautifully the next day, distinguishing the various layers. Hearty, comforting dish, definitely a crowd pleaser.
Washed chopped fresh spinach is spun well using the salad spinner to drain out moisture, then wilted in sauteed onions and garlic, combined with 1% cottage cheese to be enclosed between pasta sheets. Ricotta cheese can be substituted for cottage cheese. Mushrooms can also be added with the spinach. A spoonful of breadcrumbs added to the vegetable mixture absorbs
any excessive moisture. Tomato sauce is prepared separately using canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
I have used oven-ready lasagna noodles that need no pre-cooking. They make a perfect lasagna as they are much thinner than the dried ones and won't get soggy or absorb extra moisture like the fresh noodles. Also, known as no-boil noodles, they cook while baking with the moisture from the sauce. To prevent the noodles from drying out, ensure to spread the sauce evenly on the bottom and top, covering the edges. Lasagna can be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving.
Washed chopped fresh spinach is spun well using the salad spinner to drain out moisture, then wilted in sauteed onions and garlic, combined with 1% cottage cheese to be enclosed between pasta sheets. Ricotta cheese can be substituted for cottage cheese. Mushrooms can also be added with the spinach. A spoonful of breadcrumbs added to the vegetable mixture absorbs
any excessive moisture. Tomato sauce is prepared separately using canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
I have used oven-ready lasagna noodles that need no pre-cooking. They make a perfect lasagna as they are much thinner than the dried ones and won't get soggy or absorb extra moisture like the fresh noodles. Also, known as no-boil noodles, they cook while baking with the moisture from the sauce. To prevent the noodles from drying out, ensure to spread the sauce evenly on the bottom and top, covering the edges. Lasagna can be prepared in advance and reheated just before serving.
Lasagna Florentine
(Serves 8)
You will need a 13" x 9" baking dish
Pasta
Ingredients:
12 oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or blend of cheese
Sauce
Ingredients:
1 large onion (chopped)
4 large cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 (28 ounce or 796 ml) can of diced tomatoes (pureed)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 sprig of fresh basil leaves
a pinch of sugar
salt
Method:
Heat a pan with olive oil, add onion, garlic and chilli flakes. When onion is soft, add tomato paste along with pureed tomatoes, water, pepper powder, basil leaves (cut or torn into halves), sugar and salt. Simmer till the sauce is thick, around 4 cups.
Spinach Mixture
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh spinach (around 1/2 kg)
2 medium-sized onions
2 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
500 gms 1% cottage or ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons oil
a pinch of salt
Method:
Chop spinach, wash well in a colander. Using a salad spinner, try to remove excess moisture from the spinach. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions with garlic. When onions are translucent, add spinach with a pinch of salt. Once the spinach wilts, stir in breadcrumbs to absorb any excess moisture. Shut off flame and mix parmesan cheese. When cool, combine the cottage cheese and pepper powder.
Note:
If desired, blend cottage cheese to a creamy consistency before combining with the spinach mixture.
Assembling & Baking
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a 13" x 9" baking dish, spread 2 cups of tomato sauce at the bottom.
Top with 4 lasagna noodles overlapping one another.
Spread half of the spinach cheese mixture over the noodles.
Top with 4 lasagna noodles.
Spread remaining half spinach cheese mixture over noodles.
Top with remaining 4 lasagna noodles, 2 cups of tomato sauce ensuring to cover every corner of the noodles or else they will crisp and dry out when baking.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the sauce.
Place baking dish on a sheet pan and cover with a greased aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from sticking to it. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and let the cheese brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes to set before serving.
(Serves 8)
You will need a 13" x 9" baking dish
Pasta
Ingredients:
12 oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or blend of cheese
Sauce
Ingredients:
1 large onion (chopped)
4 large cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 (28 ounce or 796 ml) can of diced tomatoes (pureed)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 sprig of fresh basil leaves
a pinch of sugar
salt
Method:
Heat a pan with olive oil, add onion, garlic and chilli flakes. When onion is soft, add tomato paste along with pureed tomatoes, water, pepper powder, basil leaves (cut or torn into halves), sugar and salt. Simmer till the sauce is thick, around 4 cups.
Spinach Mixture
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh spinach (around 1/2 kg)
2 medium-sized onions
2 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
500 gms 1% cottage or ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons oil
a pinch of salt
Method:
Chop spinach, wash well in a colander. Using a salad spinner, try to remove excess moisture from the spinach. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions with garlic. When onions are translucent, add spinach with a pinch of salt. Once the spinach wilts, stir in breadcrumbs to absorb any excess moisture. Shut off flame and mix parmesan cheese. When cool, combine the cottage cheese and pepper powder.
Note:
If desired, blend cottage cheese to a creamy consistency before combining with the spinach mixture.
Assembling & Baking
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a 13" x 9" baking dish, spread 2 cups of tomato sauce at the bottom.
Top with 4 lasagna noodles overlapping one another.
Spread half of the spinach cheese mixture over the noodles.
Top with 4 lasagna noodles.
Spread remaining half spinach cheese mixture over noodles.
Top with remaining 4 lasagna noodles, 2 cups of tomato sauce ensuring to cover every corner of the noodles or else they will crisp and dry out when baking.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the sauce.
Place baking dish on a sheet pan and cover with a greased aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from sticking to it. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and let the cheese brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
Let lasagna rest for 30 minutes to set before serving.