Frozen Food You Can Make: Lasagna
November 16, 2005
Every few weeks, my flatmate and I head over to her coworker's house for dinner and a few episodes of that very silly program "Prison Break." These Tuesday nights are fun because our portable culinary skills are put to the test - we usually make dinner at our host's house. I decided to premake some lasagna and freeze it. This dish is always best fresh, but freezing it is a great way to ensure that you have dinner premade for a night when you are way too tired to cook.
You will need: Lasagna pasta sheets, sauce (you can make this or buy a jarred sauce, try the spicy classico), mozzarella, ricotta, egg, spinach, mushrooms, salt, pepper, Parmesan.
Step One: Start boiling a large pot of water with salt and add lasagna sheets once boiling. Cook according to directions. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drizzle olive oil on them to keep from sticking.
Step Two: Cook one bunch of very clean spinach leaves (simply rinse and place in a saute pan with a piece of foil on top - don't add any more water or oil). Cook this on medium low heat until very wilted. Drain this and set aside. You can add whatever veggies you like, including zucchini, squash, mushrooms, or meat (Italian sausage).
Step Three: If you are cooking your own sauce you will need a large can of whole peeled tomatoes (chop them up), 1/4 white onion diced, 2 cloves of garlic, dried oregano and/or thyme, celery (1 stalk, finely diced), 1 carrot (finely diced), salt, pepper, 1 chile piquin. Optional: Add mushrooms, black olives, or if you are a carnivorous, you can cook 3 links of Italian sausage first by cooking on medium heat, breaking up with a spoon, and then add the ingredients that follow after you drained the fat from the cooked sausage.
Cook 3 tablespoon olive oil, the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic together until it sweats. Add in dry spices and 1/2 c of wine (white or red). Add chopped stewed tomatoes, juices and all. Cook down to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
If you buy a jar of sauce, don't buy one that is too sweet - go for the spicy Classico red sauce.
Step Four: Blend 1 tub of ricotta (this is in the dairy aisle and is a little more than the size of a yogurt jar) and 1 egg together with salt. This can be set aside as well.
Step Five: Grate your mozzarella (about 2 or 3 cups worth), Parmesan (about 1/2 cup worth).
Putting it all together
Step Six: In a rectangular pan (go for one smaller than a cake pan), put down a large spoon full of sauce. Lay down sheets of pasta to cover the bottom. Smear on the ricotta and sauce. Sprinkle a little cheese. Lay down another layer of pasta. Smear more ricotta on, add all the spinach, some cheese, and layer of sauce. Add one more layer of pasta, sauce, and rest of cheese, topping off with the Parmesan. Freeze, or bake right away at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until cooked through. If frozen, throw into oven at 400 degrees and carefully monitor after 30 minutes to ensure the dish doesn't burn on top. Reduce heat to 350 if it starts to get too crispy on top.
Serve and enjoy with salad or fresh bread.
Labels: pasta
