Not Your Grandma’s Lasagna
Unexpected takes on old classic
How many ways can you say lasagna? And in how many languages?
Seriously, who says lasagna has to be Italian? And who says it has to be just for family reunions and holiday events? Delight your family and friends anytime of the year with these unexpected twists.
And remember, the following recipes for Mexican Lasagna, Seafood Lasagna, White Lasagna, French Peasant’s Lasagna, Bacon and Egg Lasagna, Really Easy Tex-Mex Lasagna, and Apple Lasagna are just the beginning. With a little imagination, this dish can become just about anything your heart, and stomach, desire.
Mexican Lasagna
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. ground chicken
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 14-oz can stewed or fire-roasted tomatoes or 1 can enchilada sauce
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
Salt
12 (six-inch) corn tortillas
3 cups freshly shredded queso fresco, cheddar or pepper jack
2 scallions, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat for 5 minutes. Add enchilada sauce or stewed fire-roasted tomatoes. Add black beans. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt to taste.
Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining olive oil. Place ½ cup sauce in bottom of dish. Dip 4 tortillas in remaining sauce and lay them into the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the chicken mixture and 1 cup of the cheese. Starting with 4 more tortillas, repeat the layers, ending with the last 4 tortillas on top. Pour remaining sauce over the dish and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake, covered with foil, on middle rack for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with scallions and serve.
Seafood Lasagna
5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cups milk
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 lb. fresh crab meat
1 lb. cooked salad shrimp
1 16-oz. package lasagna noodles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
In a medium-sized size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Then stir in flour and let it brown slightly. Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the parmesan cheese and mix well.
Spread a thin layer of the white sauce into a 9x13 baking dish, followed by a layer of cooked lasagna noodles. Now put a 1/4 of the shrimp, 1/4 of the crabmeat and 1 cup of the grated mozzarella on top of the lasagna noodles. Repeat this process, until you have four layers of the lasagna. Add sauce to the final layer and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake until dish is heated thoroughly and the top is golden brown, approximately 45 minutes.
White Lasagna
½ lb. lasagna noodles
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. tarragon
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 lb. ricotta
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup packed chopped raw spinach
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 ½ cup freshly grated mozzarella
Béchamel sauce
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
Cook noodles al dente. Drain; refill pot with cold water and let noodles sit in water. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet on medium heat; saute onions, garlic, basil and tarragon. When onions begin to brown, add mushrooms and cook until tender. In a large bowl mix ricotta, eggs, sauteed veggies, raw spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To make the béchamel sauce: Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan. When melted, add flour, stirring constantly. Continue stirring and add milk. Then add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce thickens. Thin with a bit more milk if needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
To assemble: Brush just a bit of sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 12 inch pan to cover. Add a layer of noodles, then some of the cheese mixture. Repeat with a layer of noodles, cheese mixture, noodles and then top with remaining béchamel sauce and remaining 1 cup of mozzarella. Bake covered 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set 10 minutes before serving.
French Peasant’s Lasagna
4 cups whole milk
1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
4 large eggs, beaten together
1 baguette French bread (sliced)
5 thin slices ham
1 4-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, cut into 5 slices
8 ounces grated cheddar
In a medium saucepan, combine milk and garlic, and place over high heat until almost at boiling point. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Discard garlic, and drizzle eggs into milk while whisking vigorously. Set aside.
Place ½ the baguette slices into a baking dish large enough to hold them snugly in a single layer. On top of baguette slices, layer ham and mozzarella. Top with remaining baguette slices.
Sprinkle about 2/3 of cheddar over baguettes, and pour milk mixture over everything. Press baguettes down with a fork so they are almost covered by milk, repeating once or twice until tops absorb some of the liquid. Set aside for 20 minutes; meanwhile, heat oven to 325° F.
Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over croissants. Bake until golden and set, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Bacon and Egg Lasagna
8 oz. diced bacon
½ large onion, chopped
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp. flour
¼ to ½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pt. milk
8 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon to paper towels. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup drippings.
In the drippings, saute onion, pepper and mushroom until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in milk.
Bring to boil and stir for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in lightly oiled 13x9x2 baking dish. Layer with four noodles, a third of the egg and bacon, cheese and sauce. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.
Sprinkle with freshly cut basil. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.
Really Easy TexMex Lasagna
1 ½ cups sour cream
1 ½ cups salsa
Vegetable cooking spray
6 cups cooked rice, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
In medium bowl, combine sour cream and salsa; set aside.
Coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer bottom of dish with 3 cups rice. Top with half of the sour cream mixture, then with 1-1/2 cups cheese. Add layer of beans, remaining rice, and remaining sour cream mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes; remove from oven.
Mix remaining cheese with chips and sprinkle on lasagna. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Apple Lasagna
8 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 cans (20 ounces each) apple pie filling
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. packed brown sugar
¼ cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
3 tbsp. butter
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain in colander.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly butter 13X9-inch baking pan.
Combine cheddar cheese, ricotta cheese, egg, granulated sugar and almond extract in medium bowl; blend well.
Spread 1 can apple pie filling over bottom of prepared pan. Layer half the noodles over filling, then spread cheese mixture over noodles. Top with remaining noodles, then remaining can of apple pie filling.
Combine flour, 6 tbsp. brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg in small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple pie filling.
Bake lasagna 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare garnish by blending sour cream and 1/3 cup brown sugar in small bowl until smooth. Cover; refrigerate.
To serve, cut lasagna into squares and garnish with sour cream mixture. |
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