Culinary expert Colleen Miner joins
TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham to share some ideas for easy, homemade lasagna. Miner also provides recipes for a zesty black-bean lasagna and a quick lasagna using seashell pasta.
- Buy some "no-boil" noodles at the supermarket to save a step when making lasagna. Be sure to use extra sauce to keep the "no-boil" noodles moist, or use the thinner versions of the noodles that don't require as much moisture. In either case, cover the lasagna with aluminum foil to trap in the moisture.
- If making lasagna with meat, use hamburger, Italian sausage or a mixture of the two.
- Use commercial pasta sauce. It's a great substitute and saves the time needed to whip up a homemade concoction.
- Ricotta cheese adds a nutty flavor to lasagna.
- Coat the lasagna pan with cooking spray before putting the dish together. The first layer in the pan should be sauce, which moistens the bottom of the lasagna and prevents a baked-on mess. Try a tomato-and-chili sauce, and add some spaghetti sauce to thicken.
- Always top lasagna with a layer of cheese to hold in moisture.
- After removing lasagna from the oven, let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Use the time waiting for the lasagna to cool and firm up to make the garlic bread.
Black-Bean Lasagna
Ingredients:
2 cans diced tomatoes and chilies, drained
1 small can tomato paste
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
6 no-cook lasagna noodles
1-1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes and tomato paste. A spicy pasta sauce can be substituted if desired. In a medium bowl, combine the beans, cumin and chili powder. Lightly mash the beans with a fork.
Coat a 9 x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the pan. Place two of the noodles on the sauce. Top the noodles with 1/3 cup of the beans, 1/2 cup of the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the sauce and 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Repeat the layers twice.
Bake at 375 degree for 30 minutes, and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Easy Seashell Lasagna
Ingredients:
large seashell pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh parsley, tightly packed
Preparation:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture into a pan and heat slightly on the stove. Fill pasta shells with the cheese mixture and serve.
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