My Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:

Note: Another Brie-like cheese may be substituted for Taleggio.

1 small pumpkin, about 3 pounds is the perfect size

1 head garlic, outer husk removed, cloves separated

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pinch cayenne

3 cups milk

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano

1/2 pound fresh lasagna sheets

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, diced

1/2 pound firm Taleggio, cut or broken into small dice

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds. Place the pumpkin cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Arrange the garlic cloves in a very small baking dish, add the olive oil and cover with foil. Bake until very soft, about 30 to 35 minutes.

2. When the pumpkin is cooked, drain it cut-side down in a colander, spoon out the meat, then mash it lightly. (It does not have to be smooth, but if it is too stringy, pulse it a few times in a food processor.) Season generously with salt and pepper to taste and a little cayenne. Set aside.

3. When the garlic is cooked, squeeze the pulp out of the skins and set it aside (reserve the oil for another use).

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil to cook the lasagna sheets.

5. Warm the milk in a saucepan with the bay leaf. Melt the butter in a second saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until bubbly and smooth. Discard the bay leaf and whisk in the milk. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, mashing with a spoon to smooth into the sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and stir in half the grated pecorino. Keep warm.

6. Cook the lasagna until just al dente, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain well.

7. Spread one-quarter (about three-fourths cup) of the white sauce in the bottom of a 7- by 10-inch baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets on top to cover, then spoon on half the pumpkin, spreading to cover completely. Top with another layer of lasagna sheets, one-quarter of the white sauce and all the prosciutto. Place a layer of lasagna sheets on top and arrange the Taleggio bits evenly over it. Top with another layer of lasagna sheetsa, then with the remaining pumpkin, and finally with a last layer of lasagna sheets, pressing down if necessary to fit into the pan. Spread the remaining white sauce over the top to cover completely. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino. Place on a baking sheet to catch drips and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

Total time: About 2 1/2 hours

Servings: 8 to 10

Tags: Pumpkin Lasagna, pumpkin lasagna recipe

Crockpot Lasagna
3 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 teaspoon dried parsley
8 to 10 lasagna noodles, uncooked
Spaghetti sauce, see recipe below
3 to 4 cups mozzarella cheese

Spray a large 5 or 6 quart crockpot with a non stick spray such as Pam. In a small bowl combine cottage cheese, eggs and parsley, set aside. Put a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the crockpot, breaking them if needed to fit. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles. Then spoon 1/3 of the cottage cheese and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese over this. Repeat layers 2 more times. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Before serving, turn off crockpot and remove lid and let it sit for a bit to cool down and firm it up for serving.

Spaghetti Sauce
1lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red pepper, chopped (or any type of peppers, I use mini peppers and use several of them)
4 to 5 large mushrooms (or more small ones), chopped
2- 14oz cans diced tomatoes
1- 8oz can tomato sauce
1- 6oz can tomato paste
1 ½ Tablespoon Italian seasonings
2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
small amount of water to thin sauce

In a large frying pan or sauce pan cook hamburger, onions, peppers and mushrooms until meat is no longer pink and veggies are tender.

In a blender puree diced tomatoes and add to hamburger/veggie mix. Add the tomato sauce and paste, Italian seasonings, salt and cane juice crystals. You can thin out the sauce with a little bit of water, you want it a little thinner than normally because the lasagna noodles will absorb the liquid. Use the sauce in the above Crockpot Lasagna recipe.

Tags: Crockpot Lasagna, lasagna recipe, More Lasagna Recipes

Pasticcio Lasagna

The Italian name for this would actually be “Lasagne al Forno,” but in my region of Italy almost everyone calls it Pasticcio. Most people have tomato sauce in mind when they think of lasagna, however this recipe is based on Ragù alla bolognese and Béchamel sauce.

When I was little my mom used to let me and my sister help her make this dish and we have never stopped making pasticcio together. If you have kids that like to take part in the kitchen this is a good recipe to prepare with them.

Ingredients:

1 lbs. dry egg pasta sheets for lasagna*
Ragù alla bolognese
freshly ground Parmesan cheese
unsalted butter

For the Béchamel sauce:
4 2/3 cups milk
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup flour
pinch of nutmeg
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Ragù as described in my “Pasta with Ragù alla bolognese ” recipe.
2. When the Ragù is done or very close to done you can begin by preparing the Béchamel sauce.
3. Warm the milk.
4. Melt the butter in a pan then add and blend the flour for about 2- 3 minutes. Use a low heat.
5. Once the butter and flour are blended add the milk a little at a time. Mix continuously with a wooden spoon. Be certain to avoid lumping!
6. When you’ve mixed in all the milk grate a bit of nutmeg on top, just a dusting. Add a pinch of salt too.
7. Continue cooking the Béchamel, stirring constantly, until it thickens and becomes smooth.
8. Now it’s time to put it together. Start by preparing your favorite lasagna pan by greasing it with butter.
9. The pasta often suggests that it doesn’t need to be precooked however I’ve found much better results by boiling it a couple of minutes first. Just slide the pasta into boiling water a few pieces at a time and remove them just as they soften up and start to get, ’sticky.’ Lay them flat on a kitchen towels and they are ready.
10. First put a layer of pasta in the pan then add a layer of Béchamel, a layer of ragù and small fist of freshly ground Parmesan. Continue like this for a maximum of 5 layers.
11. Cover the last layer of pasta only with the Béchamel sauce, dots with butter to help keep it moist when baking, and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
12. Put in a preheated oven at 400° and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Notes:

If you want you can prepare pasticcio the day before just cover it and put it in the fridge. The next day all you have to do is bake it!

*The pasta should be thin and perfectly flat, about 3-1/2 x 7 inches. Don’t use the durum wheat lasagna noodles, the long thick ones with the ruffled edge.

Recipe from http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/recipes/pasta/Pasticcio.php

Tags: best lasagna recipe, italian cooking, lasagna recipe, lasanga, white sauce lasagna

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:1 hr 35 min
Makes:8 servings

2 cups ricotta cheese or small curd creamed cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 jars (28 ounces each) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Additional shredded mozzarella cheese, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the parsley and oregano.
2. Spread 2 cups of the pasta sauce in ungreased rectangular pan, 13×9x2 inches; top with 4 uncooked noodles. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Spread with 2 cups pasta sauce and top with 4 noodles; repeat with 2 cups pasta sauce and 4 noodles. Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spread with remaining pasta sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
3. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 30 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 515 (Calories from Fat 180 ); Total Fat 20 g (Saturated Fat 9 g); Cholesterol 40 mg; Sodium 1340 mg; Protein 24 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 26 %; Vitamin C 26 %; Calcium 52 %; Iron 20 % Exchanges: 4 Starch; 1 Vegetable; 1 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Serve With
Complete this meal with your favorite tossed salad and crusty Italian bread.
Time Saver
To prepare ahead of time, cover unbaked lasagna tightly with foil and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. About 1 1/2 hours before serving, heat oven to 350ºF. Bake covered 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with additional mozzarella cheese. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Tags: best lasagna recipe, italian cooking, lasagna recipe, lasanga, meatless lasagna, Vegetarian Lasagna, white sauce lasagna

Ricki Carroll’s 30-minute Mozzarella
Mother Earth News
Yield: 3/4 to 1 pound cheese

1 1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water
1 gallon pasteurized whole milk
1/4 tsp liquid rennet (or 1/4 rennet tablet) diluted in 1/4 cup cool, unchlorinated water
1 tsp cheese salt (coarse, noniodized flake salt similar to pickling salt; do not use iodized salt)

Slowly heat the milk in a stainless steel pot to 55 degrees. While stirring, add the citric acid solution to the milk and mix thoroughly.

Heat the milk to 88 degrees over medium-low heat. The milk will begin to curdle.

Gently stir in the diluted rennet with an up-and-down motion for 30 seconds. Then let the milk sit still while heating it to between 100 and 105 degrees. In about 5 to 8 minutes, the curds should be pulling away from the sides of the pot. Turn off the heat.

The curds will look like thick yogurt and have a bit of shine to them, and the whey will be clear. If the whey is still milky white, wait a few more minutes before turning off the heat. Scoop out the curds with a slotted spoon and put into a 2-quart microwavable bowl. Press the curds gently with your hands, pouring off as much whey as possible.

Microwave the curds on high for 1 minute. (See also: How to Make Quick Mozzarella Without a Microwave.)

Drain off all excess whey. Gently fold the cheese over and over (as in kneading bread) with your hand or a spoon. This distributes the heat evenly throughout the cheese, which will not stretch until it is too hot to touch (145 degrees inside the curd). You may want to don rubber gloves at this point, as the cheese will be extremely hot to the touch.

Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each; add salt to taste after the second time. After each heating, knead again to distribute the heat.

Knead quickly until it is smooth and elastic. When the cheese stretches like taffy, it’s done. If the curds break instead of stretch, they are too cool and need to be reheated.

When the cheese is smooth and shiny, roll it into small balls and eat while warm. Or place them in a bowl of ice water for half an hour to bring the inside temperature down rapidly; this will produce a consistent smooth texture throughout the cheese. Although best eaten fresh, it can be stored in the refrigerator at this point.

Note: If you are using store-bought milk, and your curds turn into the consistency of ricotta cheese and will not come together, switch brands of milk. It may have been heated at the factory at too high a temperature

Click here for the article

Tags: lasagna recipe, Mozzarella Cheese

Shrimp and Scallop Lasagna

Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
3 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup Romano cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 lb sea scallops, cut in half or quartered if very large
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13×10 inch aluminum foil pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles until they are just done, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet and cook the onion over low heat until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute more. Over medium-low heat, stir in the flour with a whisk, then gradually add the half-and-half, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly before adding more. When the sauce has thickened to about the consistency of whipping cream, add the Romano cheese and stir well. Add the salt and pepper and stir again. Add the scallops and cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes or just until the shrimp turn pink. Turn off the heat.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce from the skillet into the prepared pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with 4 noodles, placing them side by side. Spoon one-third of the sauce over the noodles, distributing half of the seafood evenly. Layer 4 more noodles, one-third of the sauce with half the seafood, the remaining 4 noodles, and the remaining sauce. For the top layer, do not spoon any seafood on top of the noodles; just use the sauce. Tuck in any edges of the noodles so they’re all coated with sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, until bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Inactive prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes
Ease of preparation: moderate

PD & Friends, 172-173

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Tags: lasagna recipe, Paula Deen recipe, Shrimp and Scallop Lasagna recipe

Ingredients
2 cups purchased pasta sauce
1/3 cup water
1 9-ounce package refrigerated or frozen cheese- or meat-filled ravioli
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In a 10-inch skillet combine pasta sauce and the water. Bring to boiling; stir in ravioli. Reduce heat. Cook, covered, over medium heat about 5 minutes or until ravioli are nearly tender, stirring once to prevent sticking.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, and the 1/4 cup Romano cheese. Top ravioli with spinach. Spoon ricotta mixture on top of spinach. Cook, covered, over low heat about 10 minutes or until ricotta layer is set and ravioli are tender. Sprinkle each serving with additional Romano cheese. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Better Homes and Garden Recipe

Tags: lasagna recipe