Its true! You can make lasagna with zucchini instead of pasta. I thought I was happy when I learned to make lasagna with small noodles like fusilli, instead of the rectangular pasta that burn my fingers. Yes, I am aware of the existance of precooked pasta that you just have to wet, but I’m still not convinced by it.
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| Lasaña sin pasta de zapallito italiano |
I’m talking about "zoodles". You know, zucchini noodles. From my understanding, zoodles are zucchinis that have been cut in the shape of noodles. It seems they are a healthy alternative to gluten-free pasta that may be percieved as over processed. I so agree that there is nothing more natural than a vegetable.
Getting back to this recipe, it was inspired by a post for sausage, cheese and basil lasagna recipe from Epicurious. I made the sauce in the same style I make tomato sauce, using twice as much meat and crushed tomatoes, but with pork instead of beef. For the filling, I followed the instructions, which includes a mixture of cheeses and basil. Of this this filling could also just be a white bechamel sauce. For the pasta, you know, just sliced zucchini.
I hope you like it!
Ingredients
Sauce
1 kilo of ground pork or beef
6-8 peeled tomatoes and liquefied
12 oz. / 340 gr. Tomato paste
2-3 bay leaves
3-4 dried mushrooms
1 carrot, peeled and grated
Salt and pepper
Oil
Filling
½ cup packed of basil leaves
15 oz. ricotta cheese (about 1.8 cups)
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese (about 6 oz.)
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 oz.)
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Zucchini
3-4 large zucchini
Assembly
1 ball of mozzarella cheese, grated
Grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Sauce
Salt and pepper the meat, and cook in hot oil. Set it aside.
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Fry the onion and garlic, and add the crushed tomatoes.
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Add the tomato paste, followed by the grated carrot.
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Add bay leaves and mushrooms, and then the meat.
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Cook at medium temperature for 60 minutes.
Filling
Blend the basil leaves with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
Add the egg. Don’t forget the salt and pepper.
The Zucchini
Peel the zucchinis. Cut them into very thin slices. I used the veggie peeler for this.
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Add salt and pepper, and set this aside in a colander.
Assembly
Grease a dish and preheat the oven.
Cover the dish with a layer of meat sauce. Cover it with a layer of zucchini.
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Add a layer of filling. Cover it with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
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Repeat layer of sauce, zucchini, filling and cheese. Cover your last layer with the remaining cheese.
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| Terminar con una última capa de quesos |
Cook the lasagna for 40 minutes at 375°F. Let it cool off before serving. This will allow the sauces and cheese to have a more solid consistancy and not bee too liquid.
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You can garnish the lasagna with parmesan cheese and serve it with greens.
Serves 8 large square pieces using a rectangular 3 qt. 8.9” x 13.2” dish.
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