Pesach Lasagna Food

PASSOVER LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
• Break matzo sheets in half and run under warm water to soften. Pour tomato sauce into bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Coat the bottom of the prepared pan with some of the tomato sauce, then begin layering with the softened matzo sheet, Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, and tomato sauce. Continue layering until the cheeses are used up, finishing with a layer of matzo. Top with the remaining tomato sauce, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and oregano.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.

SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the EVOO in a saucepot and add the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crush them up a bit. Add the passata, a fat handful of torn basil leaves, the onion and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the onion and set the sauce aside.
• Separate the spinach while adding it to a mixing bowl. Add half of the mozzarella, the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the eggs yolks and mix to combine. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Layer a little sauce into a lasagna pan and top with three flat lasagna sheets or four curly. Top with a little more sauce, and then half of the spinach and cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer, and end on top with lasagna sheets. Top with some sauce and the remaining mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• The lasagna can be stored before or after baking for a make-ahead meal, or baked to serve immediately. When baking the first time, bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, from room temperature until cooked through and brown and bubbling on top, 60 to 70 minutes. If reheating, bake at 375 degrees F, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the lasagna rest 20 minutes before cutting. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

MATZOH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Grease a pan large enough to fit the one matzoh board.
• You can use olive oil spray.
• Place enough sauce to cover the bottom, about 1/2 cup.
• Place the 1 matzoh board on top.
• Spread more tomato sauce over the matzoh.
• Place some cottage cheese on top of the matzoh.
• Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
• Repeat steps 3-6 until you have used up all 4 matzohs.
• End with tomato sauce.
• Top with the last 1/4 cup of mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
• Add 1/2 cup water (this may sound gross, do it anyway).
• Cover with silver foil, and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

MATZO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saute pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add onions, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
• Add chard, and cook, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon for about 10 seconds. Cover, and cook until chard is wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ricotta, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Meanwhile, place matzoh in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with 6 cups water. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand until soft, about 2 minutes. Drain matzoh; dry baking dish.
• In the same baking dish, arrange one-third of the drained matzoh in an even layer. It may be necessary to break some of the pieces for even coverage. Spread half the ricotta mixture evenly over the matzoh, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Fontina. Repeat with remaining matzoh, ricotta mixture, and Fontina, finishing with a layer of matzoh. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups Fontina cheese evenly over the top. Bake until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown, about 45 minutes.

MATZO LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot over medium, heat oil, and stir in garlic, anchovies (if using), pepper and red-pepper flakes. Cook until garlic starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Use your hands to squeeze and crush the whole tomatoes as you add them to the pot, along with any liquid in the cans (or use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in the can). Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and rosemary sprig, bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer at medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, basil, pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg.
• To assemble the lasagna, spread generous 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13 baking dish. Place matzo crackers in an even layer on top, breaking crackers to fit as necessary.
• Spread half the ricotta mixture over the matzo layer, spreading all the way to the edges. Top with generous 3/4 cup tomato sauce, then scatter with 1/3 of the mozzarella.
• Repeat matzo, ricotta, tomato sauce, and mozzarella layers.
• Top with a final layer of matzo, then spread remaining tomato sauce (about 2 cups) on top, making sure all of the matzo is covered. Top with remaining mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve topped with more basil, a drizzle of olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

PESACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cottage cheese, eggs, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; beat until blended.
• Wet matzo crackers so they are moist but not soggy.
• Place a little tomato sauce in the bottom of an 8-inch square pan. Top with 1 sheet of matzo, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the tomato sauce, and a 1/3 of the Muenster cheese. Repeat layers twice more, ending with Muenster cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

SEPHARDIC MEAT AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA: MEGINAH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large frying pan, brown ground turkey and veal, approximately 10 minutes. Once brown, drain, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cinnamon onto mixture, and set aside. In another large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute diced onions until browned. Add sliced mushrooms to onion mixture, and saute together with seasoning, pinch of salt and pepper, until cooked. Place cooked mixture in large bowl and set aside. Using the same frying pan (do not wash), add remaining 1/4 cup oil and saute with pinches of salt and pepper, diced eggplant and garlic, until soft. Add these ingredients to onions and mushrooms in the mixing bowl. Add minced parsley, salt, freshly ground pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce to vegetable mixture. Combine browned turkey and veal with vegetable mixture; adjust seasonings. Add 1/4-cup sugar or honey to taste, and set aside. Cover counter top with heavy-duty paper towels. Use 2 aluminum roasting pans, 1 for matzo-soaking process, and 1 for egg dipping process. Fill 1 large aluminum roasting pan halfway with almost boiling water. Add matzos, 1 at a time to this "bath" and soak until wet through, not falling apart, but pliable. Remove and lay on paper towels. Place more towels on top of matzos to soak up excess water, if necessary. Fill second large aluminum roasting pan with about 3 cartons of liquid eggs. (You will dip the softened matzos into egg mixture, 1 at a time as you layer.) Grease 2 (9-1/2 by 13 inch) glass baking dishes lightly with olive oil. Open remaining cans of tomato sauce, pour into mixing bowl, and set aside. Start layering in Pyrex baking dish. First with a thin amount of tomato sauce on bottom, then with 2 to 2 1/2 egg dipped matzos (these are used similarly to lasagna noodles), then with filling mixture, then several dollops of tomato sauce, continuing to repeat process until each baking dish uses 6 to 8 matzos. Finish with a layer of matzos brushed lightly with tomato sauce. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, until top is firm and golden.

SCACCHI (MEDITERRANEAN PASSOVER "LASAGNA")

Steps:

• Prepare the meat filling. In a medium pan, cook the meat with the onions and a little olive oil until browned, drain off fat. Add the raisins, parsley, allspice and cinnamon, cook for another couple of minutes. Set the meat mixture aside.
• Now for the vegetable filling! In a little olive oil, cook the onions until translucent, then add the pine nuts and sliced mushrooms, cook for a couple minutes longer. Stir in the spinach (with a bit of water if the spinach isn't frozen) and nutmeg. Cook until the spinach is wilted, set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and soak the matzah in the warm broth until slightly softened and flexible.
• Grease a 9x13" glass pan, and place two soaked matzo in the bottom of the dish, with the edges overlapping slightly.
• Spread a layer of the meat mixture atop the matzo, followed by more matzo. Add a layer of the vegetables. Continue until the filling runs out, then top the pan with a final soaked matzo layer.
• Drizzle the beaten egg/chicken broth along the top of the dish.
• Bake until golden brown on top, about 30-45 minutes. If the top layer of matzo curls up or gets too crispy, you may want to pour a little additional broth over it.