Monday, April 2, 2012

Make Spinach Lasagna

Spinach is often a dieter's best friend. Packed with vitamins, minerals and nearly 10 percent of your daily protein requirements, it is good for you and low in calories--plus it tastes great.Here is a recipe for spinach lasagna. Unlike most spinach lasagnas, which call for unhealthy Alfredo sauce, this recipe uses a tomato-based sauce and the traditional ricotta cheese mix, with a few extra ingredients.


Instructions


1. Bring to boil heavily salted water in a large pot. Add lasagna sheets, and continue to boil (stirring occasionally to prevent sticking) until pasta is al dente--tender but still slightly firm (about 5 to 8 minutes, depending on size of pot and amount of water). Drain and let cool.


2. Prepare the red sauce. In large saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once butter stops bubbling, add onion and 1 tsp. salt. Sweat the onion until tender and add brown sugar. Stir until onion caramelizes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add canned tomatoes, spinach, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Let sauce simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat.








3. Make the cheese mixture. Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup feta cheese, parsley, eggs, roasted red pepper and about 1 tsp of salt.








4. Layer the three elements in a 9-by-13 inch pan, starting with the red sauce, then the cheese mixture and then a layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat (usually with three full layers). Reserve some of the red sauce as the last layer on top of the last lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup feta cheese and garnish with fresh basil and parsley.


5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until top starts to brown. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Tags: about minutes, lasagna sheets, about minutes until, cheese mixture, feta cheese, minutes until