Classic Spinach Lasagna Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO in a saucepot and add the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crush them up a bit. Add the passata, a fat handful of torn basil leaves, the onion and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the onion and set the sauce aside.
• Separate the spinach while adding it to a mixing bowl. Add half of the mozzarella, the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the eggs yolks and mix to combine. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Layer a little sauce into a lasagna pan and top with three flat lasagna sheets or four curly. Top with a little more sauce, and then half of the spinach and cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer, and end on top with lasagna sheets. Top with some sauce and the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• The lasagna can be stored before or after baking for a make-ahead meal, or baked to serve immediately. When baking the first time, bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, from room temperature until cooked through and brown and bubbling on top, 60 to 70 minutes. If reheating, bake at 375 degrees F, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the lasagna rest 20 minutes before cutting. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a blender or food precessor, blend the tofu, milk, oregano, basil, salt, lemon juice, garlic, and onions together until it achieves the consistancy of cottage cheese.
• If the mixture is too thick, add a little water.
• Stir in the chopped spinach and set aside.
• Cover the bottom of lasagna pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles.
• Sprinkle half of the tofu mixture and 1/2 cup of the optional cheese.
• Cover this with noodles and a layer of sauce.
• Add the remaining filling, 1/2 cup of cheese, and a layer of sauce.
• Add one more layer of noodles, and cover with sauce.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bechamel sauce:
• In a 2-quart pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When butter has completely melted, add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Continue to simmer and whisk over medium heat until the sauce is thick, smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add the nutmeg and tomato sauce. Stir until well combined and check for seasoning. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a saute pan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. When almost smoking, add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking any large lumps, until it is no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
• In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix the ricotta and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the pasta sheets side by side, covering the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly spread a layer of all the ricotta mixture and then a layer of all the spinach. Arrange another layer of pasta sheets and spread all the ground beef on top. Sprinkle 1/2 the mozzarella cheese on top of the beef. Spread another 1/3 of the bechamel sauce. Arrange the final layer of pasta sheets and top with remaining bechamel, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 1/4-inch cubes and top lasagna.
• Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place lasagna dish on top, cover and put on the middle rack of the oven and bake until top is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake for about 15 minutes.
• In a large casserole pot or Dutch over, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; crumble beef drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together the spinach, ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese., Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with 3 noodles. Spread 1-1/2 cups sauce to edges of noodles. Top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese., Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly, 10-15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. If desired, top with minced fresh basil.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 minutes. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all spinach is wilted, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a mesh strainer and press against spinach to remove as much liquid as possible.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is golden brown, 1 minute. Add milk and continue whisking until milk begins to boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cover surface with plastic wrap.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry zucchini, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Spread 1 cup bechamel along the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place one-third of noodles over bechamel in a single, overlapping layer. Top with 1 cup bechamel and half of spinach. Repeat with a second layer of noodles, bechamel, and spinach. Top with remaining noodles, remaining bechamel, zucchini, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden in places and lasagna is bubbling along the edges, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lasagna from oven and let stand 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Saute the onions and garlic in a heavy iron pot in olive oil, until translucent, then remove from pot, and set aside.
• Put sausage in pot with ground fennel and brown.
• Add basil, oregano, and parsley.
• Stir in onions and garlic, as well as tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste.
• Let simmer gently about 2-3 hours.
• Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions, and hang to dry.
• Beat together eggs, ricotta and parmesan cheese, set aside.
• Build lasanga:.
• Barely cover bottom of large, deep lasagna pan with sauce.
• Place a layer of noodles lengthwise over sauce.
• Place all of spinach over noodles.
• Cover this with a layer of noodles shortwise.
• Spread ricotta cheese mixture over noodles, and cover this with a lengthwise layer of noodles.
• Put one half of remaining sauce over noodles and cover with shortwise noodles.
• place mozzerella cheese over noodles into a somewhat solid sheet and cover with lengthwise noodles.
• Pour remaining sauce over top.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly.
• Grate hard cheese over top as soon as you pull it from the oven.
• Serve with Italian bread and a salad.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain. Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil, adding water as needed to keep from sticking.
• Combine the ricotta, tofu, Parmesan cheese, spinach, egg whites, black pepper, parsley, and sauteed onion and garlic. Mix well.
• Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange a layer of cooked noodles on the bottom. Top with 1/3 each of the ricotta mixture, the mozzarella and the tomato sauce. Repeat layers twice more, ending with tomato sauce. Cover with foil.
• Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 to 15 more minutes.

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse in cold water; drain well., In a large bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta cheese, egg, egg white, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, pepper and nutmeg. Combine mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese., In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer three noodles, 3/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup spinach mixture and 3/4 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers three times., Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Steps:

• To make the meat sauce, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and cook 750g lean beef mince in two batches for about 10 mins until browned all over.
• Finely chop 4 slices of prosciutto from a 90g pack, then stir through the meat mixture.
• Pour over 800g passata or half our basic tomato sauce recipe and 200ml hot beef stock. Add a little grated nutmeg, then season.
• Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins until the sauce looks rich.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan/160C/gas 4 and lightly oil an ovenproof dish (about 30 x 20cm).
• Spoon one third of the meat sauce into the dish, then cover with some fresh lasagne sheets from a 300g pack. Drizzle over roughly 130g ready-made or homemade white sauce.
• Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. Cover with the remaining 390g white sauce, making sure you can't see any pasta poking through.
• Scatter 125g torn mozzarella over the top.
• Arrange the rest of the prosciutto on top. Bake for 45 mins until the top is bubbling and lightly browned.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) baking dish lightly with nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef and marinara sauce.
• In a separate large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 5 cooked lasagna noodles, overlapping as needed to completely cover the sauce. Spread 2 cups of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the remaining meat sauce, noodles, ricotta, and mozzarella to make 2 more layers.
• Bake the lasagna for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling up through the layers. Turn the broiler to high and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the top layer of cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
• Let the lasagna cool for 30-45 minutes, then serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• If you're using dried pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If you're using fresh pasta sheets, cut them into long wide noodles approximately 3 inches by 13 inches, or a size that will fit into your lasagna dish. Cook the noodles (6 at a time for dried noodles) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes); fresh pasta will take only a minute. Drain and then lay the noodles flat on a towel so they won't stick.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around. Put a layer of noodles (use four) in the dish, trimming any overhanging edges; top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach, and one-fourth of the ricotta (use your fingers to spread it evenly), the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Repeat the layers twice, and top with the remaining noodles, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan; the top should be covered with cheese; add more ricotta and Parmesan as needed. (The lasagna may be made ahead to this point, wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to a day or frozen. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving, or cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.