This year we had an abundance of chard and squashes in our garden, enabling me to make a lot of my favorite food: Italian!!
Ingredients:
(For vegetarian lasagna, omit sausage and add a little more cheese)
2 lb lasagna noodles, cooked and rinsed (2 packages)
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled into small pieces
2 large cans marinara sauce or home made marinara or vegetable sauce
1 large zucchini, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped and sautéed until soft (mix sausage in with the onion and set aside)
1 large yellow squash, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic (or equivalent dried or powdered)
1 large container cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
1 bunch swiss chard, washed and torn into small pieces
1 tablespoon or more Italian herbs (to your taste)
1 tsp. dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon or more parsley
(Add all spices to the marinara sauce. Yes, these spices plus the ones in the sauce.)
1 lb mozzarella or mixed cheeses, shredded
Directions:
- Spray lasagna pan with vegetable or olive oil spray
- Place one layer of lasagna noodles on bottom
- Add ¼ of the marinara sauce, then lay zucchini slices next to each other to form a layer, spread chard over the top, then place some crumbled sausage and onion on top of the chard; then a layer of cottage or ricotta cheese
- Place a new layer of lasagna noodles on top, this time placing them in the pan crossways from the previous layer (Example: The first layer was placed horizontally in the pan. This layer should be placed vertically in the pan, cutting the noodles to fit as needed.)
- Repeat the layer as above, this time adding the mozzarella or mixed cheese
- Place a third layer as above (with cheese), placing the noodles horizontally before adding fillings
- On the fourth layer, keep only enough marinara sauce and cheese to top. Sprinkle with parsley
- Heat oven to 350
- Spray vegetable or olive oil spray on the underside of a piece of aluminum foil cut to fit over the top of the lasagna pan to keep from sticking
- Place foil on top and place lasagna on a large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides (in case the lasagna boils over)
- Cook lasagna for 45 to 60 minutes, until removing foil for the last 10 minutes to evaporate all juices and avoid a too juicy dish
- Remove when cooked and allow to sit for 5 or more minutes before serving with garlic bread and salad (and maybe frittata)
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