CIAO!! Welcome to Italian kitchen…we are going to cook something Italian today.. Lasagna. Its going to be Vegetarian Lasagna. I hope you all like Lasagna :). Lasagna do not need any introduction. It is one of the popular classic Italian dishes made with flat shaped pasta and simply layering the sheets alternately with sauce, cheese and various other ingredients.

 

First time when I tried making Lasagna at home my daughter was an infant. I guess I might have chose a wrong day and she was getting very fussy. And I was getting fussy too because I wasn’t able to concentrate on my Lasagna which I was making for the first time. That time it seemed to me a very lengthy process but later when I started making it in parts then it was manageable. Lasagna is something that you can assemble ahead of time and you can entertain your guest without standing in the kitchen for hours. When you bring this warm pasta dish to the table and you have Bruschetta, Salad and Garlic Bread on side… you are good to go. It won’t be a bad idea to add Minestrone soup during winters. Full meal ready!!

 

 

 

You will need:

• Lasagna shells – 12-15 (depending upon the layers you need). Do not buy Oven-Ready shells.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 4 tablespoons

• Ragu sauce – 26 oz bottle ( a thick sauce made from finely chopped carrots, onion, celery, garlic, butter & tomatoes)

• Cheese – Parmesan, Mozzarella ( You can add Ricotta to your cheese mixture but I use only Parmesan & Mozzarella), 2 cups each.

• Parsley – Dry or fresh

• Spinach – 16 oz, chopped (fresh or frozen)

• Button Mushrooms – 8 oz

• Garlic-2 cloves, mined or chopped (I prefer minced)

• Garlic powder – to taste

• Salt- to taste

• Black Olives – sliced

• Fresh Basil leaves – handful, chopped

 

Let’s do the preparation first:

 

• Boil Lasagna shells as per direction. Keep few aluminum foils ready on the counter. Once the lasagna shells are boiled, lay them side by side on the aluminum foil.

• First get your veggies ready. Lets start with mushroom first. Slice the mushrooms neither too thick nor too thin. They should hold the texture once sauteed. Heat the pan, put 2 tablespoons olive oil, then minced garlic, then mushroom, Italian seasoning, salt. Cook them for 2-3 minutes, transfer them to a bowl.
• In the same pan, start working on spinach or  to make it faster you can simultaneously get your spinach mixture read as well. My job was easy as I used frozen spinach. My local grocery carries Extra Fine Spinach which comes in small cubes. I thawed them and add it to 2 tablespoons oil with garlic powder, Italian seasoning  salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer that to a bowl.

• While your veggies are getting ready, mix both the cheese in a bowl. Add parsley, Italian seasoning and mix it. For Italian seasoning, crush it between your palms. Keep that aside. Save some Mozzarella cheese for the top shell.

 

 

Layering:

• Pre-heat oven on 350 degree F.

• In the 9″x13″ baking tray, spray some cooking oil. Spread 2-3 spoons of Ragu sauce to coat the bottom. After that lay 3 lasagna shells next to each other on the top of the sauce base – then lightly coat the shells with sauce- cheese – spinach , 3 lasagna shells – sauce – cheese – mushroom, 3 lasagna shells – sauce – cheese – spinach, final 3 lasagna shells – sauce – mozzarella cheese. On top of the final shell put some  sliced black olives. Spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray and the cover the baking tray with it.

 

 

• Pop it in the pre-heated oven (350 degrees F) and bake it for 50 minutes then remove the foil and broil it on high for last 5-10 min for a nice golden top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Be very careful. The tray will be super hot.
  

• Your tasty, yummy and bubbling Lasagna is ready!! Combine it with Salad and Garlic Bread. You have created a hearty Italian table at you place….

 

 

 

Note:

You can prepare till the layering step. Put it in the refrigerator. And whenever you are ready just take it our from the refrigerator and pop it in the oven. I prefer to bring it to the room temperature before I put it into the oven.

Bon Appetit!!