Uncle Bills Vegetarian Lasagna Food

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the sauce: Put the olive oil and garlic in a medium pot over low heat. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally at first and more often as it colors, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-low, add the onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, basil sprig, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a lively simmer. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until quite thick (if you draw a spoon through the sauce, you'll see the bottom of the pot for a few seconds before the sauce fills back in), about 30 minutes. As the sauce thickens, turn the heat down a bit so the bottom doesn't scorch. Stir in the chopped basil. Let cool to room temperature before assembling the lasagna. (Makes 1 quart.)
• To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Squeeze the spinach in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Put it in a large bowl, and stir in the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and the nutmeg.
• Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay 3 lasagna noodles across the sauce (they won't touch). Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce on top. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture (about 1 cup) across the sauce, and use the back of a spoon to spread it (it will smush into the tomato sauce, which is fine). Scatter 1 cup of the mozzarella on top.
• Repeat the layering 2 more times. Top with the last 3 noodles, spread the last 3/4 cup tomato sauce over them and scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray, and cover the baking dish.
• Bake until the noodles are soft and the cheese has melted, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the cheese is bubbling and the lasagna is slightly browned around the edges, about 15 minutes more. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

WORLD'S BEST (NOW VEGETARIAN!) LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in plant-based sausage, meat substitute crumbles, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, 1 tablespoon parsley, sugar, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles; cook 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, stir together egg, ricotta, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
• To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 of the sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over mozzarella and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake, covered with cooking spray-coated foil, for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes more. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing into 12 equal servings.

UNCLE BILL'S MARVELOUS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying, add ground beef and fry until cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain off any fat and discard.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to frying pan, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 5 minutes.
• Add chopped celery, diced green and red peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and saute' until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add grated carrots, cover and cook until carrots are limp, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer this mixture to a large cooking pot.
• Add tomatoes including liquid, tomato sauce, parsley, hot pepper flakes and allspice and heat to boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Blend in wine and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• FILLING: Squeeze water from spinach and discard.
• Chop spinach small.
• In a mixing bowl, combine spinach, cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, beaten egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, mix well and set aside.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Use a 10" x 14" x 2" deep, heavy duty aluminum foil baking dish.
• Layer about 1/2" of prepared sauce over the bottom.
• Place enough lasagna sheets to cover area and press lightly into sauce.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into sauce.
• Add spinach filling and level.
• Place lasagna sheets over and press lightly into filling.
• Add another layer of lasagna sheets.
• Layer another 1/2" of prepared sauce over.
• Place another layer of lasagna sheets and press lightly into sauce.
• Add the remaining sauce over and level.
• Sprinkle top generously with grated mozzarella cheese.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese over.
• If desired, grate a 1/2 cup of Emmentaler Swiss cheese and sprinkle over top.
• Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil being careful not to let foil touch the lasagna.
• Bake in preheated 450 F oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 425 degrees F.
• Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Remove from oven, cover and let sit to set for about 5 minutes before cutting.
• Cut into pieces and serve hot.
• Ondine Delverde Lasagna is a brand name and is sold in packages of 15 lasagna sheets and also 3- 8" x 8" aluminum foil pans.
• You can use these pans if desired.
• This lasagna is pre-cooked and does not require any cooking before hand.
• They now make fresh lasagna sheets that do not require pre-cooking.
• You may also use lasagna strips but you will require cooking these.

UNCLE VINCENT'S LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, add the pork and beef with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, and saute until no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a deep, rectangular lasagna pan, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom, then layer the lasagna strips evenly across the bottom of the pan to cover the entire surface, about 8 sheets of pasta.
• Sprinkle 1/4 of the cooked meat mixture over this, then lay out 8 slices of mortadella on top. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cubed mozzarella and 1/4 of the grated cheeses and top with a layer of tomato sauce.
• Repeat with another layer of 8 lasagna sheets to cover, then do a layer of prosciutto, mozzarella, another 1/4 of the grated cheese, 1/3 of the chopped herbs, another 1/4 of the cooked meat, and tomato sauce. Finish this layer with 1/2 of the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
• Repeat with another layer of lasagna, remaining prosciutto and mortadella, another 1/4 of the grated cheeses, another 1/3 of the chopped herbs, remaining chopped eggs, another 1/4 of the mozzarella, another 1/4 of the cooked meat, and sauce.
• Repeat with the last layer of lasagna, remaining cooked meat, remaining grated cheeses, remaining mozzarella, and a thin layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle the top layer with the remaining chopped parsley and basil and fresh cracked black pepper.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 1/2 hour, until cheeses melt and ingredients have melded. Try not to let the aluminum foil touch the top layer or the cheese will stick when you uncover.
• Uncover and let cool and set for about 1/2 hour before cutting so lasagna can absorb the liquid released by the cheeses.