The Best Lasagna you will ever eat in your life
If I had to choose my ‘signature’ dish, I wouldn’t be able to, but this recipe would definitely be a consideration. First thing I should point out, I don’t put a béchamel sauce like traditional lasagna recipes. I personally find it makes the lasagna too heavy. Trust me this is healthy and with a few wise choices this meal is (almost) guilt free.
Serves 8 to 10, up to 12
1 batch of the Bolognese (meat) sauce
1/2 Cup beef stock or water (whichever you are using)
A double batch of the fresh whole wheat pasta recipe (salt omitted) OR 1 360 g package of Fresh Whole Grain Lasagna Sheets
1 454 g tub of light ricotta cheese
1 300 g package of frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
100 g light part skim mozzarella cheese, grated
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
– Preheat oven to 375
– Add the extra stock or water to the sauce recipe; since the pasta is not boiled first it is a good idea to make the sauce a little thinner then you would for say a spaghetti dinner.
– Make the pasta according to the directions and remember not to add any salt!
– After the spinach has been cooked and drained let it cool.
– Combine the spinach and ricotta together and season with salt and pepper.
– In a traditional lasagna dish (9 x 13) pour a ladle of the Bolognese sauce on the bottom.
– Top with a layer of lasagna sheets and top the pasta with another ladle of sauce (coating the entire sheet).
– Top with another layer of the pasta.
– Put an even layer of the ricotta cheese and spinach mixture (half of the mixture) on the sheet of lasagna.
– Cover with another layer of pasta.
– Ladle tomato sauce over pasta
– Cover with another layer of pasta.
– Put the remaining ricotta on this pasta.
– Cover with another layer of pasta and then cover with more sauce.
– If you have any remaining pasta sheets, place on top of the tomato sauce, centred and then pour the remaining sauce on top of this pasta.
– Top with mozzarella cheese and then top that with the Parmesan cheese.
– Cover with tinfoil.
– Bake covered for 30 minutes.
– After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. If you prefer you can put it under the broiler after this step but keep an eye out so that you don’t burn your lasagna. The idea is to have the cheese brown and bubbly.
– Let the lasagna rest for at least five minutes before serving (it’s hot!).
Notes:
1. If you don’t want to make the pasta, you can use store bought of course but PLEASE use the fresh (whole wheat) pasta sheets, they make a world of difference!
2. The sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time.
3. Now I know there is a lot of cheese and meat but consider you should be able to get up to 12 portions out of this lasagna and also, the cheeses used here are low fat.
4. I love serving this with a green salad mixed with the white wine vinaigrette.