One Wild And Wacky Lasagna
This is notice for you to plan the meals around the holiday season and, if you have guests staying over, this will blow their minds.
One word of caution – read it through first. It looks daunting but it isn’t. It is relatively easy. Like I said – read it through and then loudly proclaim ‘ damn I can do this’.
Red Sauce
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 – 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
- pinch each of salt and pepper
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil and add the tomatoes, paste and herbs, salt and pepper, simmering for about 12-15 minutes. Set aside.
Cream Sauce
- 5 tbsp. butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 5 tbsp. flour
- 2 3/4 cups half and half cream
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- dash of red pepper sauce
Cook the shallots in butter over a low heat. Add the flour and keep stirring as you add the cream and vermouth.
Mix until thickened. Season with the red pepper sauce and remove from heat. Set aside.
Vegetable Layering
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. zucchini, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 green bell peppers, seeds removed, diced
- 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Saute the zucchini, onion, garlic and pepper in the olive oil until softened. Add the parsley and CAREFULLY salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Cheese and Spinach Layer
- 2 pkgs. frozen chopped spinach
- 1 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese
- 1 beaten egg
- 3 tbsp. Pernod liqueur
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Cook the spinach according to directions and drain well. Mix this now with the cheese, egg, Pernod and nutmeg. Set aside.
- 15 cooked and drained lasagna noodles
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lb. small scallops
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, spread most of the red sauce over the bottom of the dish. Lay out 3 lasagna noodles.
Add the vegetable layer, and top with 3 noodles. Spread the cream sauce over the noodles and lay out the shrimp and scallops over the top. Add 3 more noodles. Then the spinach and cheese mixture. Add 3-4 remaining noodles and pour the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the Asiago cheese and bake for 45 minutes.
Serve with a beautiful cold salad and a glass of well chilled wine.
- there will be a few noodles over but that is in case you tear one or two and replacements are needed1-2