Lasagna w/ Spinach & Tomatoes

Step 1

I almost always make my own lasagna noodles. Other pastas I might grab something off of the shelf in a pinch. But lasagna is more of a process and I enjoy making the noodles from scratch! They're a lot easier to make than they look, have a much richer taste, and only take about a half hour. Plus, they cook in a minute or two, instead of 15! It does require semolina flour and a pasta machine helps, but you can use a rolling pin.

Step 2

Otherwise, prepare according to the manufacturer's instructions. This typically entails boiling a pot of water, cooking for 6-10 minutes, or until barely al dente. Drain and set aside.The pasta will cook another hour in the oven, so make sure not to overcook them during this stage!

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 4

Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a large baking baking dish with olive oil and set aside.Mine is 13x9 inches, but any larger-sized baking dish will do. You can always cut the lasagna sheets to different sizes.

Step 5

Finely dice, chop, and mince the tomatoes, spinach, shallots, and garlic.I prefer a finer cut to ensure that you get every flavor in every bite. It also more closely resembles a traditional sauce with a finer dice. But you can more coarsely chop them if you like it chunkier!I also. destemmed the spinach before chopping because the stems tend to get stuck in the back of your throat when you eat them. But you can easily more finely chop these if you want to include them. Otherwise, I usually puree them in hummus or salsa or even just pet food!

Step 6

Toss the tomatoes, shallots, and garlic in a bowl.

Step 7

Grate the ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella. If you're using a fresh mozzarella that has a higher moisture content, it won't grate.

Step 8

Reserve about 1/2 cup of Parmesan and mozzarella. This will go on top of the final layer.

Step 9

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and Parmesan.

Step 10

Arrange noodles in the bottom of the baking dish. They should slightly overlap to keep the noodles from separating.

Step 11

Add 1/3 of the tomato mixture and spinach to the lasagna noodles.

Step 12

Coat with 1/3 of the Parmesan and ricotta cheese mixture, followed by 1/3 of the mozzarella.

Step 13

Repeat layering noodles, tomato mixture, cheese mixture, and mozzarella.

Step 14

Top off with a final layer of noodles and the reserve amount of mozzarella and Parmesan.

Step 15

Bake for 50-60 minutes. The lasagna should be thoroughly heated throughout and the cheese on top will begin to brown. Let cool slightly and cut into 2-inch squares. Serve immediately.