Lasagna

Yeah I know I make a lot of pasta. But that's just because... well its so darn good. And affordable. And frankly easy. So when my friend Jessica (budding provisions) gave me a recipe for lasagna I was jazzed. The recipe is very BYOC (Be Your Own Chef) as Claire Robinson would say. Lasagna is one of those meals that you know what you like in it. This recipe helped me develop a technique to make a tasty lasagna. This way I can add the things I like in it and experiment a little too.

Lasagna

2 zucchini, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
9 lasagna noodles
1 pot of marinara sauce
12 oz. ricotta cheese
1lb. shredded mozzeralla
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roast zucchini, eggplant and onion on a baking sheet with oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper for 20-30 minutes.

Cook lasagna noodles to al dente and drain. Mix ricotta, 1/2 of mozzarella, oregano and basil together in a small bowl.

Layer in greased 9x13 baking dish: 1 cup sauce, 3 noodles, 1/2 cheese mixture, then 1 cup sauce, 3 noodles, roasted vegetables, and 3 noodles, 1 cup sauce, the rest of the cheese mixture. Then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes covered with foil and last 10 minutes uncovered till browned.

Ohh so delicious. Like I said before BYOC. Try out other vegetables maybe spinach or squash. Or try some meat. You could brown up some ground beef or turkey or even Italian sausage. If your in a rush you can take a shortcut and get a jar of spaghetti sauce.

I hope this inspires you to take a shot at this classic casserole style pasta dish.

And don't forget to save a piece for leftovers.