April 4, 2010

updated lasagna

call me Garfield, but one of my all time fave dishes is lasagna.  my meat asagna has gotten rave reviews.  last time i made one though, i tried something new- i grilled off a ton of veg in my grill pan and made a veggie lasagna... it got rave reviews but i didn't like it at all... i'll never be a vegetarian! :p

so this time, i made a hybrid- part meat and part veg... DELICIOUS!

hybrid lasagna [makes 1 9x9 pan]
no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 b ground sirloin [90% lean/10% fat]
2 mild italian sausage links [out of the casings]
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 orange pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
handful of white button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 shallot, diced
1 15-oz part skim ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded parmesan
2 eggs
1 jar marinara sauce
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry oregano
s+p
olive oil

preheat oven to 375.  heat a arge pan over med heat.  add a couple of tbsp of olive oil, the garlic, and the shallot.  cook a minute.  add ground sirloin and sausage- break up with wooden spoon.  add s+p.  cook a minute or two, then turn.  when fully cooked, add the peppers and mushrooms.  s+p [you have to season every layer].  cook a few minutes.  add sauce, but reserve about 1/2 cup- yes it's from a jar but after you're done adding stuff to it, it's yummy.  add basil and oregano [crush each slightly in between your palms to release the flavor].  simmer about 5 minutes.  [my sauce was a bit thick, so i added ~1/4 cup water to loosen it].
in the meantime, crack 2 eggs in a medium bowl and break the yolks with a mixing spoon.  add ricotta and mix.  add 2 cups mozzarella and 1/2 cup parm- mix. +p [no s- the parm has plenty of s].  let stand. 
line bottom of 9x9 pan with the left over sauce.  place 2 noodles in pan.  line with 1/3 cheese mixture.  add 1/3 sauce.  place 2 noodles perpendicular to the last ones.  line with 1/3 cheese mixture.  add 1/3 sauce.  place 2 noodles perpendicular to the last ones- these will face the same way as the first layer [changing the direction of your noodles will keep your lasagna from falling apart when you cut into it].  line with 1/3 cheese mixture.  add 1/3 sauce.  sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup parm.  [if you didn't add 1/4 cup water to your sauce and you notice that your lasagna looks a little dry, you may want to do the following... fill marinara jar with ~1/2 cup water and swirl so that you  pick up the last little bit of sauce.  drizzle around the edge of the lasagna.  you'll thank me later! ;)].  tent pan with aluminum foil- make sure it doesn't touch the cheese or you'll be sorry!  place in oven, but make sure you place an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet directly under it for easy clean up!  bake for about 55 minutes.  remove aluminum foil and bake another 10 or so.  if you like your cheese a little crunchy like i do, turn the broiler on low and make sure you watch it closely.  let sit for about 20 minutes before cutting or you'll end up wit a soupy mess- i cut mine in 9 pieces.  i swear, the hardest part of making this lasagna is getting the first piece out of the pan!
i made a side salad of spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and cucumber w/ low fat balsamic dressing.

enjoy! ;)

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