Lasagna noodles are layered into a baking dish with an assortment of ingredients to make the dish which is also known as lasagna. These long, wide noodles – flat in Italy but with feathered edges in America to help hold the sauces - are alternated with meats, cheeses, tomato sauce, and sometimes vegetables such as spinach or eggplant to make an easy dish suitable to serving large numbers of people, whether family gatherings, potluck dinners, or parties.
While noodles made from Durum wheat are considered the best due to their hardness and ability to stand up to boiling and baking while still remaining chewy, many options are available to the home cook, including plain, spinach, wheat, and even no-boil noodles, which allow cooks to layer them right into the baking dish without precooking them. They will become tender during the cooking process due to the moisture present in the ingredients and everything will finish simultaneously.
The ability of the dish to be frozen in an uncooked state also makes it a very convenient dish. Prepare it at leisure and freeze it, or prepare two and freeze one. This can be important in the operations of a busy household, with a beautiful lasagna simply waiting in the freezer to be placed into the oven.
This delicious lasagna recipe is made with spinach, which technically makes it a Lasagna verdi, but creative home cooks learn to make additions to their liking. Some will use only the freshest ingredients while others might increase the amount of cheeses added. Still others will be very creative, adding vegetables more to their liking. In any case, this recipe makes a lovely dish, and a perfect springboard to exotic lasagnas of your own creation.
Lasagna with Spinach Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian Sausage or Ground Beef
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp. Parsley flakes
- 1 Tbsp. Basil
- 2 tsp. Salt (or to taste)
- 1 one-pound can (2 cups) Tomatoes
- 2 six-ounce cans Tomato Paste
- 10 ounce package Lasagna Noodles (wide)
- 3 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- ½ tsp. Pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pound Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
- 1 pkg. frozen chopped Spinach, cooked
Directions
- Brown meat slowly. Spoon off excess fat.
- Add Garlic, 1 tsp. Parsley flakes, 1 Tbsp. Basil, 1 tsp. Salt, Tomatoes, and Tomato Paste. Simmer uncovered until sauce is thickened (about 45 minutes to 1 hour) stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook noodles in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- Cook Spinach and set aside.
- Combine ricotta with eggs, 1 tsp. Salt, 2 Tbsp. Parsley flakes, and ½ cup Parmesan.
- Place a layer of half of the noodles in a casserole dish (13 x 9 x 2). Add a layer of Ricotta Cheese mixture, a layer of Mozzarella cheese, a layer of meat sauce, and a layer of spinach. Repeat layers.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Let stand for 15 minutes and serve.
Serving Suggestions: Add ½ cup Port Wine to beef sauce during cooking process. Serve with a green vegetable, Italian bread, and a bottle of Italian wine.
Christopher T. Reilly - Hello. I have been a professional writer for 25 years with experience that encompasses articles, essays, websites, Internet content, stage ...
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