There's No Place Like Home Lasagna

Makes 8-10 servings

Beth

ingredients

The components:
1 cup greens-ricotta filling
2 cups marinara sauce
1 pound lasagna noodles, placed in a pan of hot (but not boiling) water to soften
Approximately 1 pound mozzarella grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish
Greens-Ricotta Filling
1 large bunch Swiss chard, arugula or spinach, stemmed, washed and dried thoroughly
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 chile (or to taste), seeded and diced
1-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup pinenuts or walnuts (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinara Sauce - With Or Without Meat
1 pound ground meat - a combination of beef, pork and/or veal
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
Sprigs of fresh oregano, thyme and/or rosemary
4-6 ounces red wine of choice (optional)
About 1 quart (32 ounces) tomato puree
Salt and pepper to taste

directions

1
Prepare filling: Chop greens and reserve half. In a large skillet, heat garlic in olive oil for 15 seconds. Add half of the greens, toss with tongs to coat, cover and allow to wilt about two minutes.
2
Transfer wilted greens to the bowl of a food processor and puree. Add half of the reserved raw greens and blend to combine. Add nuts, if using, and blend until well integrated. Add chiles, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add 1 tablespoon of oil gradually so that pesto is somewhere between a sauce and a chutney. Scoop pesto out of food processor and measure out 1 cup of pesto to combine with ricotta cheese in a medium mixing bowl.
3
Prepare marinara:
4
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot and add ground meat, allowing it to completely brown, at least five minutes. Add salt and stir. Remove from pot and place in a bowl for later use. (Not using meat? Proceed to next step.)
5
Add oil and heat, then add onions, garlic and carrot, cooking over medium heat, until softened. Add herbs and wine; cook wine until reduced by half. Stir occasionally to minimize sticking.
6
Add tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring sauce up to a boil, then reduce heat, so sauce can cook at a simmer. Return meat to pot and stir to combine. Cover pot and cook for up to one hour; remove herb sprigs and add salt and pepper to taste.
7
In a small saucepan, heat marinara sauce until warm. Season with salt, pepper and herbs, as necessary.
8
Assemble Lasagna
9
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
10
Spoon enough marinara sauce on bottom of 9x13 dish to cover surface. Place three softened lasagna noodles in dish, side by side, so that they’re snug. With a rubber spatula, spread half of the greens-ricotta filling on top of noodles, covering the surface, and add one-fourth of the mozzarella and Parmigiano.
11
Create a new layer with noodles, and this time, spoon marinara sauce so it covers surface, followed by more cheese.
12
For the next layer of noodles, add the remaining greens-ricotta filling, then top with both cheeses.
13
The top layer is 3-4 noodles, covered with marinara sauce and any remaining cheese.
14
Bake until fork tender and bubby, about one hour. Cut and serve while still hot.