HEALTHY RECIPES: Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

This recipe is much easier to make than lasagna and it’s also more elegant.                    

What You’ll Need: Serves 4

*13 lasagna noodles
*1 (26-ounce) bottle good quality marinara sauce (We use Newman's Own, Classico or Amy’s Organic.)

*1 (10 ounce) package chopped, frozen spinach; defrosted
*1 egg
*1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese (A 15-ounce container is OK.)
*1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (Don't use the cheap stuff in the shaker bottle.)
*2 large cloves garlic
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
*dash of cayenne pepper
*freshly ground pepper
*2 cups grated part skim mozzarella (about 1 lb.)

What You’ll Do:

1. Fill a large soup pot half full with cold water. Heat the water on high heat until it boils. Put the noodles in the pot and continue to boil for about 8 minutes until they're tender. (You'll only need 12 noodles but boil 13 in case one breaks.) Have an adult help you pour the pasta into a colander to drain. Rinse with cold water.

2. As soon as they're not too hot to touch, carefully lay the lasagna noodles flat side by side on a dish towel (not terry-cloth). Put the spinach in a colander and press out any excess water. Peel the garlic and finely chop it with a chef’s knife or put into a garlic press.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg until blended. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and spices. Mix well with a large spoon. Grate the mozzarella cheese, put into a small bowl, and set aside.

4. If you're planning to eat soon, preheat the oven to 350. Find a rectangular baking pan, approximately 9"x12". (Pyrex is fine.) Smear a little of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan. Using a 1/4 cup for each noodle, spread the spinach mixture evenly onto each noodle. (Use a butter knife or spatula.) Try not to spread the filling close to the edges of the noodles or it will spill out when you roll them up.

5. Start at one end of the noodle and roll it up; try not to roll too tightly. Lay the roll-up in the pan with the noodle end facing down. Roll up the rest of the noodles and arrange in the pan.

6. Pour the tomato sauce into a liquid (glass) measuring cup until you get 2 1/2 cups of sauce. Pour a glob of sauce on top of each roll-up until the sauce is gone. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly on top. Cover with foil so the foil isn't touching the cheese and refrigerate until ready to bake.

7. When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, letting the lasagna sit out while the oven preheats. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until hot. Don't over bake or the lasagna will get dried out. Remove from oven and serve.

Tools:

*Large pot
*Colander
*Dish towel (not terry-cloth)
*Garlic press or chef’s knife, cutting board
*Large mixing bowl
*Measuring cups, spoons
*Grater
*Glass measuring cup
*Aluminum foil

By: Anne Vassal

POSTED ON 8/9/2008 7:00:00 AM