Springtime Lasagna Recipes

SPRING LASAGNA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to directions on box, until barely al dente. Drain. Toss with oil to prevent sticking. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, leeks and garlic and sauté until soft, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Cook peas in a pot of boiling salted water until tender, 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Cook asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain asparagus, shock in ice water, drain again and toss with peas. 4. Mix ricotta, zest and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Make béchamel: Combine milk, onions, bay leaves, ½ teaspoon salt and white pepper in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reduces by approximately a quarter, about 10 minutes. Strain milk and set aside. Wipe saucepan and melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, whisk in reserved milk

SPRINGTIME LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Combine the first 3 ingredients, spread 1 1/2 cup sauce mixture over the bottom of a 13x9" baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce in baking dish.
• Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, coat pan with cooking spray. Add spinach to pan, saute 4 minutes or until wilted. Transfer spinach to a large bowl.
• Return pan to heat, coat with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and 1/4 tsp salt to pan, saute 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add garlic, saute 1 minute.
• Add mushroom mixture, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, oregano, and next 4 ingredients (through egg) to spinach, stirring well.
• Spread 1/2 of ricotta mixture over noodles, top with 4 noodles. Repeat procedure with remaining ricotta mixture and last 4 noodles, ending with noodles.
• Pour remaining sauce mixture over noodles.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 40 minutes. Combine Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle evenly over lasagna, bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

SPRING LASAGNA WITH CARROTS, PEAS, AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Position oven rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°.
• Make the sauce: heat a large pan over medium heat, add in butter and olive oil; when butter has almost melted, add the onion; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add in garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 15 seconds.
• Pour in the tomatoes and their juice along with the peas and carrots; stir well and bring mixture to a simmer.
• Stir in the thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; simmer just to blend the flavors and boil off a lot of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
• You don't want sauce as thick as ragu-more like a loose tomato sauce but beware of a watery sauce.
• Remove pan from heat and set aside.
• Cheese filling: whisk the ricotta, eggs, and lemon zest in a big bowl; do not beat-the ricotta should not turn watery.
• Prepare asparagus: trim off any beige or woody ends; shave off the outer skin to ensure that the spears will be tender after they are baked.
• If you asparagus is not pencil thin, shave down the spears with a vegetable peeler.
• Assemble the lasagna in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan as follows: 1 cup tomato sauce spread across the bottom of the pan; 3 no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce; half the cheese filling (use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly); half the asparagus spears (lay them tip to root in alternating directions); 3 more no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, the remaining cheese filling, the remaining asparagus spears, the remaining noodles, and finally the remaining tomato sauce.
• Cover pan with a layer of parchment paper, then a layer of foil.
• Bake for 35 minutes, then uncover the pan and continue baking until bubbling and gooey, about 10 minutes.
• Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

SPRINGTIME PENNE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute asparagus and onion in butter for 5-8 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender., Add the ham, cream, pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook over low heat for 1 minute. Drain pasta. Add to the asparagus mixture; toss to coat. If desired, top with shredded Parmesan cheese.