Yes, lasagna. I don’t make it nearly enough. And it’s so good–that is, if you make it like this:
To me lasagna is all about fresh pasta. Those wide noodles with the curly edges just don’t do it for me. Many people are intimidated by fresh pasta, but for no good reason. It’s quick and easy, especially if you invest in a pasta rolling machine.
Start with about 2 cups of semolina flour. Add a pinch of salt, a dash of olive oil, and enough cold water to bring it together into a hard dough. I mix it right on the counter, adding just a few tablespoons of water at a time. Knead it for a while, then either knead it for 10 minutes or start feeding it through the large setting of your pasta roller around a dozen times. Either roll it out very thin, or use the machine to gradually thin it to the thinnest setting. Cut pieces the length of the pan. It cooks right in the oven.
Meanwhile, I steamed some spinach, squeezed out the water, and chopped it up. I also made a white sauce–about a tablespoon of earth balance and a tablespoon of flour cooked into a roux, a little salt and pepper, a cup of soymilk (add gradually and whisk until smooth) and a little nutmeg.
The layers go like this: Olive oil and a little tomato sauce (I used a jar this time). Pasta. Tomato sauce and cheese (FYH jack or mozzarella slices). pasta. Spinach. Pasta. Tomato sauce. Pasta. White sauce. Pasta. Tomato sauce and cheese.
It goes into the oven at 375 for half an hour or so–feel free to cover with foil or put under the broiler to achieve your desired level of meltiness and crispyness on top.
Other things I sometimes add as layers: fresh basil, sauteed mushrooms, tofu mashed up with herbs, salt, and garlic.
It sounds kinda complicated, but it really only took about 20 or 30 minutes to make! C and I inhaled 2/3 of it right away.
