America's favorite lasagna just got a lot healthier. How you ask? Simply by adding a bunch of green! This hearty lasagna is loaded with plenty of organic spinach which certainly gives it's familiar taste a healthy new twist.
Recipe yields 10-12.
Tomato Sauce:
- olive oil, to taste
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced organic tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Organic tomatoes, undrained
- tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or stevia)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- pepper to taste
Lasagna:
- 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 (10 ounce) packaged frozen organic spinach, thawed and pressed dry
- 1 egg (or substitute)
- 9 no-cook lasagna noodles
- 1 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Directions:
- To prepare sauce, heat olive oil in a large saucepan on med heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until soft and transparent.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper and pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; simmer uncovered, 30 minutes. Slightly let cool.
- Preheat oven 375F.
- To prepare lasagna, combine ricotta cheese, spinach and egg in a large bowl; mix well.
- Coat the bottom of a 13 x 19-inch baking pan with a third of the tomato sauce. Cover sauce with three noodles without overlapping (break noodles to fit), half the ricotta mixture and half the mozzarella slices. Add the half remaining sauce, 3 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture and the remaining mozzarella. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, remaining sauce and sprinkle the Parmiganio Reggiano cheese. To make ahead of time, cover with foil and refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Bake, uncovered, 40 min, or until bubbly. Let stand about 15 minutes before serving
Recipe inspired by Carolyn Bertagnoli...
Local Green Circle, February, 2010