Veggie Lasagna with Spinach Pasta

Self-explanatory. Make it, it's delicious.

Veggie/tomato sauce:

1-15 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1-8 oz can of diced tomatoes

1-8 oz can of tomato sauce

1-5 oz can of tomato paste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp salt/pepper each

2 T crushed red peppers

1 carrot, minced

1 celery stalk, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c Brussel sprouts, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

½ red pepper, chopped

2 c spinach leaves

Olive oil

Add 2 T olive oil to a large saucepan with minced carrot, celery and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper and sauté a couple more minutes. Proceed by adding Brussel sprouts, onion, zucchini and red pepper and allowing to cook for 10-15 minutes. Add all tomato products except for paste and simmer for 20 minutes. Add tomato paste and crushed red peppers. Allow to simmer until ready to use, add spinach 5 minutes before use.

Ricotta cheese filling:

15-oz part-skim ricotta

1 c parmesan

1 T parsley

2 tsp ground pepper

1 egg

2 c shredded mozzarella

Mix all ingredients together EXCEPT mozzarella well and place in fridge covered until use.

Spinach pasta:

2 ½ c all-purpose flour

1 egg

10 oz fresh spinach

Blanch spinach for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze out as much water from the spinach as possible and place in a food processor. Pulse spinach several times. Add egg and pulse several more times to mix together well.

Create a well of flour and place spinach mixture in the center. Slowly begin to incorporate the flour into the spinach-egg mixture by whisking with a fork. Continue to mix until a dough is formed. Slowly add more flour while kneading the dough, just enough for it to not stick to the surface…do NOT add too much flour. Once a soft, lightly sticky dough has formed, wrap in plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough using a rolling pin or pasta maker until thin (if using a pasta maker, notch 3 or until desired thickness). Cut dough into the length needed for the pan being used (likely 9in x 13in).

Coat bottom of pan with a layer of the vegetable tomato sauce and top with one layer of the spinach pasta. Add ricotta mixture to the top of the pasta and sprinkle some mozzarella on top and any left over Parmesan you have.  Repeat layers ending with tomato sauce. Top with layer of mozzarella.

Cover lasagna pan with a cookie sheet (aluminum foil will cave and stick to the cheese) and cook at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, broil for the final 3-5 minutes.

Nom nom nom!

~Koober Jr.