Spinach Lasagna

Compared to the dish in my last post, my family prefers to eat leafy greens in this fashion. (I love greens in every fashion!) Cheesy pasta casseroles definitely make greens a crowd-pleaser. 🙂

This vegetarian lasagna was absolutely fabulous. The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Mark Bittman. I incorporated nutmeg, garlic, and an egg into the ricotta mixture, incorporated Pecorino-Romano cheese, and used no-boil noodles. I also modified the baking method. Yum.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

• 16 dried (no-boil) or fresh lasagna noodles
• 3 to 4 cups good tomato sauce (I used 28 oz jar Rao’s marinara)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds spinach, steamed, squeezed dry and chopped (about 3 cups cooked)
• 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) whole-milk ricotta
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 large garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella
• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan (I used 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 cup Pecorino-Romano)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. 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. (I used 16 dried no-boil lasagna noodles from Trader Joe’s)
2. Steam the spinach until wilted, and drain. (I steamed it in a large pasta pot for 3-4 minutes.) In batches, use a potato ricer to remove excess liquid. Coarsely chop.
3. Combine the ricotta, egg, nutmeg, and garlic in a bowl.
4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
5. Grease a rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around.
6. Put a layer of noodles (use four per layer) in the dish; top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach, and one-fourth of the ricotta mixture (in dollops), the mozzarella, and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
7. Repeat the layers twice.
8. 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.)
9. Cover with parchment paper topped with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
10. Uncover, and continue to bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes more.
11. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.

Note: Lasagna can be baked, cooled completely, covered well, and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or stored in the freezer.

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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