Title: Vegetable Lasagna Roll-Ups
Categories: Pasta
Yield: 1 recipe
------------------------- FILLING-------------------------
1 c Part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c Part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese; freshly
- grated
8 oz Fresh spinach; washed and
- coarsely chopped
15 oz Can white kidney beans;
- drained and rinsed
2 tb Oregano; fresh chopped
2 tb Basil; fresh chopped
8 oz Raw lasagna noodles
---------------------------SAUCE---------------------------
3 ts Extra-light olive oil; with:
1 ds Sesame oil
2 c Onions; chopped
2 cl Garlic; peeled, chopped
2 c Eggplant; finely diced
1 lg Red bell pepper; seeded
- and finely diced
2 tb Low-sodium tomato paste
1/4 ts Red pepper flakes
1 c Red wine
16 oz Can whole tomatoes
- with liquid
1 tb Lemon juice; freshly squeezed
1/2 ts Salt; freshly ground
1/2 ts Black pepper; freshly ground
2 tb Parmesan cheese; freshly
- grated
Combine in a large mixing bowl the three cheeses, spinach, half the
beans, half the oregano, and half the basil. Set aside.
Cook the noodles al dente. Cool them under cold water when they're
cooked the way you like them.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pour 1 ts of the oil into a large
skillet over medium-high heat and fry the onions and the garlic for
5 minutes, stirring often. Transfer half to the spinach and cheese
filling and set the other half aside. Wipe the pan clean.
Add 1 ts of the oil to the same pan and over a medium heat, cook
the eggplant for 8 minutes, stirring often. It's important that the
bottom of the pan does not scorch. Spoon the cooked eggplant into
the filling mixture and stir well. Wipe the pan clean.
Add the remaining oil to the same pan and, over medium heat, cook
the red bell pepper for 3 minutes. Spoon the cooked pepper into the
filling mixture. Wipe the pan clean.
Add the tomato paste to the same pan and, over medium heat, cook
until it turns brown--about 5 minutes. It is very important it
doesn't burn but just browns. Stir in the red pepper flakes and the
wine, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and reduce the
liquid by about one fourth--about 15 minutes. Add the canned
tomatoes and their liquid, stirring until the tomatoes break into
pieces.
Add the remaining beans, oregano, basil, and reserved cooked onions
and garlic and cook for 5 minutes at a very low simmer. Stir in the
lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and mix well.
Lay a lasagna noodle flat on a cutting board. Form 1/2 cup of the
filling into a rough ball, lay on one end of the lasagna and roll
it up end to end. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
Pour the sauce into a 9x13" baking pan. Place the lasagna rolls on
top, seam side down, and spoon some of the sauce over them. Cover
with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil,
sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 5 minutes.
