Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna from Cook’s Illustrated – Recipe from Marcy

Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna from Cook’s Illustrated

Step One-Roasting the Veggies (this is not as difficult as it sounds-I have been doing this first step and freezing the veggies so I can make lasagna anytime in the year (we can’t get it if it’s not in season), although from start to finish this is not a fast dish)

If you use 2 baking sheets for this-adjust your oven racks for even cooking and preheat to about 200 degrees C. Toss 1pd zucchini and 1pd eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch dice, with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread veggies over 2 greased baking sheets; roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Set veggies aside.

Step Two-Master Recipe for Vegetable Lasagna with Tomato Sauce

The book says you can substitute 3 1/2 cups of your favorite prepared tomato sauce, but their sauce is quick and easy. They also suggest buying 2 boxes of the no-boil lasagna noddles because they come 12-16 in a box and you need 15 (I have found this unnecessary-the box of spinach no-cook noodles I purchased in Billa in Hainburg contained enough noodles to make this dish twice).

2 Tbs olive oil
2 med cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (I used 2 400g cans of Tesco chopped tomatoes and kinda smash them in the pan as they cook)
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil of parsley leaves
salt and pepper
15 dried 7 by 3 1/2 inch no-boil lasagna noodles
3 cups cooked and seasoned vegetables (this is your roasted zucchini and eggplant)
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil and garlic in a 10-inch skillet over med heat until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the basil or parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 1/2 cups.

2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over the bottom of a greased 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Lay three noodles crosswise over the sauce, making sure they do not touch each other or the sides of the pan. Spread 3/4 cup roasted Zucchini and Eggplant evenly over the noodles, 1/2 cup sauce evenly over the veg, and 3/4 cup mozzarella and 2 generous tablespoons Parmesan evenly over the sauce. Repeat the layering of the noodles, veg, sauce, and cheeses three more times. For the fifth layer, lay the final three noodles crosswise over the previous layer and top with the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. (lasagne can be wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight or wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator.)

3. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 190 degrees C. Cover the pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil greased with cooking spray (Tesco has a spray olive oil). Bake 25 minutes (30 minutes if chilled); remove the foil and continue baking until the top turns golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.

And that’s it! Enjoy!

I really enjoy this lasagna right now since everything is in season. I also started preparing the roasted veggies and freezing them so I can make it later in the year. It is delicious and my 4 year old son loves it. It comes from Cooks Illustrated (it’s a magazine related to America’s Test Kitchen and you can get an online membership at http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ -They’re grrrrrreat-ala Tony the Tiger.)

Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles

I have a book called Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold that I have used only occasionally but this blog inspired me to take it out again and see if the three ingredients per recipe will work here in Slovakia. I tried Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles last week and it was a hit with the family and at least one child, the picky eater. My children have different taste buds so it is miraculous if both of them like the same recipe at the same time.

I let my older child, the pickier eater, sauté the cabbage. Allowing a child to participate in preparing dinner, ups the chances that he might at least try it.

The ingredients are super easy to find in Slovakia and Austria.

A couple of tips: the recipe calls for draining liquid from the cabbage overnight. I did this but also tried a salad spinner which may work just as well. There is quite a bit of butter in this recipe which although tasty, I bet it could work as well with olive oil.

Enjoy and please comment on our recipes to let us know if they work for you!

–E

Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles

1 large head green cabbage
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces medium-wide egg noodles

With a sharp knife, shred the cabbage into 1/4-inch-wide slices. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Cover with a plate to weight it down and refrigerate overnight. Put in a pan to collect any liquid. The next day, turn the cabbage out into a colander and squeeze dry.

In a large pan, melt the butter and add the cabbage. Sauté over medium heat until the cabbage is light brown and very soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and toss them with the cabbage, adding lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4.

ADD-ONS (although each recipe in this book has three ingredients, the author provides optional add-ons. I added half of an onion so it wouldn’t be too spicy for the kids)

Slice 1 large onion very thin and sauté it with the cabbage. Sprinkle with caraway seeds.