This Italian comfort food hits the spot
“Comfort food” is an umbrella term that refers to a wide array of dishes. For fans of Italian food, there may be no dish that fits the comfort food mold better than lasagna. Lasagna can be made with a wide array of ingredients, and each iteration of it qualifies as comfort food. That’s certainly the case with this recipe for “Lasagna With Zucchini and Meat Sauce” from Lines+Angles.
Lasagna With Zucchini and Meat Sauce
Makes 9 servings
2 large zucchini, rinsed and trimmed
Salt
12 dried lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 1鈦�2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 small green bell pepper, rinsed, trimmed and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
8 ounces tomato paste
15 ounces canned tomato sauce
3 1鈦�2 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 egg, beaten
2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Coat a deep 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with salt; set aside to drain in a colander.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain, immerse in cold water to cool and drain again. Lay the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, set over medium-high heat, cook and stir the ground beef and black pepper for 5 minutes. Drain excess grease from pan. Add in green pepper and onion; cook and stir until beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, wine, basil, and oregano. If sauce is too thick, add a small amount of warm water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Meanwhile, stir egg, ricotta, and parsley together in a bowl and mix well.
6. To assemble lasagna, spread 1鈦�3 of the meat sauce into the bottom of prepared pan. Then layer 1鈦�3 of the cooked lasagna noodles, 1鈦�3 of the zucchini slices, 1鈦�2 of the ricotta mixture, 1鈦�3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers ending with a layer of zucchini followed by a layer of noodles. Spread Parmesan cheese evenly over the top; cover with foil.
7. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil; increase oven temperature to 350 F, and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.
Tip: This may be assembled a day ahead. Refrigerate until ready to bake.