Thursday, February 21, 2013

Oven Baked Broccoli Lasagna

Lasagna is one big pot of pasta that you can make and keep it in the fridge. You can have the left overs for the next day. I decided to include my favorite vegetable broccoli to the lasagna. In most of the restaurants I could not find a vegetarian lasagna. Most of it are made with a meat based sauce. So finally I decided why not make my own.


Serves : 4
Approximate Total Cost : $6

Ingredients

Oven Bake Lasagna - 1 packet(12 ounce) I used oven bake rather than ordinary lasagna because you dont have to cook it before baking
Broccoli - 1 pound (sliced)
Part Skim Ricotta Cheese - 1/2 pound
Part Skim Mozzarella cheese - 2 cups
Dry Oregano - 1/4 tablespoon
Dry Basil - 1/4 tablespoon
Crushed Pepper - 1/4 tablespoon
Salt to taste
  
For the Tomato Sauce
Tomatoes - 6 to 8 (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 cloves (minced)
Ginger - 1 tablespoon (minced)
Olive Oil  - 1 tablespoon
Dry Oregano - 1/4 tablespoon 
Dry Basil - 1/4 tablespoon
Crushed Pepper - 1/4 tablespoon
Wine (White or Red) - 1/2 cup (Optional)
Salt - to taste

Method 
1. Boil the Broccoli with little salt and mix it with ricotta cheese and seasonings - oregano, basil and crushed pepper.
2. Add the oliveoil in a hot pan. Then add the onion, ginger and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes until they melt down. Add the wine when the tomatoes cook and start to get saucy. Slow cook the tomato sauce for atleast an half an hour to n hour totally depending on the time you have. The more slower it is cooked the more tastier is the sauce.
3. Butter a baking dish. First layer the tomato sauce, then layer the pasta sheets, then add a layer of tomato sauce, then broccoli and shredded mozzarella cheese. Then repeat the layering process again starting with the tomato sauce. Make around three layers. Top it with tomato sauce and part skim shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover it with an Aluminum Foil.
4. Bake at 400F for 45 minutes. Then remove the Aluminum Foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
5. Then allow the lasagna to set for 15 minutes at room temperature and then serve.

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