No Pasta Lasagna

This is a delicious lasagna dish that uses vegetables in place of pasta, and could be made with meat or cheese. This is a way to make a somewhat starchy dish into a more nutritious, non-starchy meal. There are several options in this recipe, so it can be tailored to your individual tastes.  It could also quite easily be a dairy-free dish by using the meat option and eliminating the grated cheese topping.

Greens: any combination of spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, or kale

Basil: 10 – 12 large leaves

Summer squash: about six – these can be zucchini, yellow crookneck or patty pan

3 cups of soft cheese: a mix of ricotta, goat cheese, cottage cheese, or cream cheese (Mascarpone would also be great if you can afford it!)

If you are making meat lasagna, delete the soft cheese and use 1 1/2 pounds of ground meat, such as beef, turkey or pork and one minced onion.

4 large eggs (for cheese mixture)

Grated cheese topping: mixture of mozzarella, Parmesan or Toscana about 1 ½ cups

2 ½ cups of spaghetti sauce

4 cloves garlic – minced

1 small leek sliced very fine

Fresh chives – enough to make 2 tablespoons when chopped 

Salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder

Meat version:  Sauté the onion for a few minutes in olive oil and then add ground meat. Cook slowly until meat is cooked through. Set aside.

Cheese version: Remove soft cheese from the refrigerator and let these sit out, so they will be easier to mix with eggs. Add eggs, about 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon onion powder and stir until cheese is relatively smooth. Set aside.

1. Cut the large spines out of your greens (not necessary for spinach) and sauté these with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large skillet. Chop and add basil a minute or two before removing from heat. When these are cooked, spread them in a thin layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass lasagna dish.

2. Spoon about ½ cup of the tomato sauce onto the greens. Spread as evenly as possible.

3. Slice the summer squash into thin slices, the long way in order to make larger pieces. Sauté garlic and leeks in olive oil for a few minutes until tender and add sliced summer squash.  Add salt and pepper and chives and cook slowly for about 15 minutes. Squash should be soft and pliable, but not too mushy or it will get difficult to handle.

If you would like your squash a little less watery, bake it in the oven at a low temperature. Coat the pan with olive oil to avoid having the squash stick to the pan. It's an extra step, but it gives some added texture to the dish.

4. Gently ladle one-half of the cheese or meat mixture onto the greens.

5. Layer about half of the squash over the cheese or meat mix overlapping the squash enough to cover the mix, and then spoon a generous layer of tomato sauce over the squash – about one and a quarter cups.

6. Layer the remainder of the cheese or meat mixture.

7. Layer the remaining squash. If there are any leeks, garlic or chives left in the pan, use these up, too.

8. Top with the grated cheese mix and spoon the remainder of the tomato sauce over the grated cheese. The sauce does not have to cover the cheese.  The top will look somewhat variegated.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 – 50 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes prior to cutting for firmer pieces.

He is richest who is content with least.

Socrates