Lasagna alla Bolognese
This recipe for Lasagna stands up to the best traditional recipes in flavor and appearance. The difference? It's healthier... just don't tell anyone.
Ingredients
12 oz. dry lasagna noodles (Use the lasagna you need to par cook.)Bolognese Sauce
99% residue-free olive oil cooking spray
2 lb. 95 to 98% fat-free Italian turkey or chicken sausage, cooked and drained of fat
3 large cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 light-bodied red wine (You can substitute water for wine.)
2 6‑oz. cans tomato paste
2 14.5 oz. cans of San Marzano Italian plumb tomatoes or any canned tomatoes or 2 lb. Roma or regular tomatoes, peeled and seeded
2 cups fresh sliced white or baby portabella mushrooms
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh oregano or ½ tablespoon dry
1 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme or ½ tablespoon dry
1 large bay leaf
1 to 2 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic powder
1/8 tsp. chile powder or cayenne pepper
fresh ground black pepper to taste
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Cheese Mixture
1 16‑oz. container low fat cottage cheese
7 oz. (1½ cups) grated reduced fat Mozzarella cheese (4-5g fat 1 oz.) divide into1½ and ¼ cups
2 oz. (½ cup) grated reduced fat Monterey Jack, Cheddar or Colby cheese (5-6g fat per 1 oz.)
2 oz. (½ cup) fresh grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese divided into ¼ cups
4 cups fresh spinach shredded or 10-oz chopped frozen (If frozen, drain thoroughly before use.)
2 eggs
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp. nutmeg (preferably fresh grated)
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
¼ tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
Directions
I. Spray a 4‑quart stock pot with olive oil cooking spray and preheat on medium. Sauté garlic 3 minutes or until lightly golden. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add tomatoes and all remaining ingredients, except sausage, fresh basil, and olive oil.2. While sauce is simmering, cook sausage. If necessary, drain fat off sausage on paper towels and set aside.
3. Simmer sauce for 1 to 4 hours. An hour before sauce is done, add sausage and simmer until ready to use sauce.
4. Bring a large pot of water to boil. There should be enough room in pot for lasagna to move freely through water. Add lasagna and cook according to package directions; stirring often to keep lasagna from sticking together. Rinse with cold water and drain.
5. While lasagna is boiling; mix cheeses together with, spinach, parsley, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg until well blended.
6. Preheat oven to 350º F. Pour 4 cups sauce in the bottom of a 9‑ by 13‑inch or larger baking dish; layer a third of the noodles over the sauce followed by half of the cheese mixture. Top first cheese layer with another third noodles and remaining cheese. Layer remaining noodles over top of second cheese layer and top with remaining sauce; 3 layers of noodles, 2 layers cheese, 2 layers sauce.
7. Cover dish with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and noodles are tender. Remove from oven and top with remaining ¼ cup Asiago and ¼ cup mozzarella cheeses and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information: 1 two cup serving at 325 calories; 6g Fat; 43g carbohydrate; 4.5g fiber; 26g protein; 30mg cholesterol; 780mg sodiumOriginal Nutrition Information: 1 three cup serving at 1267 calories; 62g fat; carbohydrate 113g; 4g fiber; 66g protein; 187mg cholesterol; 2107mg sodium
Cooks Note: Make sure not to overcook lasagna noodles. They should be slightly undercooked. (Follow the cooking time on the package.) The sauce’s moisture will finish cooking the noodles.
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