Lasagna Florentine

Molto bene! It’s the internet premiere of my Lasagna Florentine! I’ve never shared this uber-popular dish from The Infinite Feast cookbook on social media before. I especially love to “meat up” this tasty veggie lasagna with my own home-made Ragù alla Bolognese, but you can use my Sugo Rosso San Marco recipe (also below) and go vegetarian, grab whatever store-bought sauce you enjoy, or whip up your own family favorite! Mamma mia, let’s get cooking in our cucina! 🇮🇹 🍝 🇮🇹 🍝 🇮🇹 🍝

From "The Infinite Feast: How to Host the Ones You Love—Recipes from the Big Easy . . . and Beyond" by Brian Theis, 2020 Click here for more on my best-selling cookbook!

Lasagna Florentine

Makes 6 to 8 servings

15 ounces ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup shredded mozzerella, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon butter

4 cloves garlic, 2 peeled, 2 minced, divided

9 ounces flat-leaf spinach

1 medium zucchini, sliced thin

8 ounces sliced white mushrooms (or baby bellas!)

5 to 6 cups Ragù alla Bolognese (see page 77 of The Infinite Feast cookbook!) OR

Double the Sugo Rosso San Marco recipe below and go vegetarian!

1 package (8.8 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles

Chiffonade of fresh basil for garnish

Heat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, oregano, ½ cup Parmesan, ½ cup mozzerella. Mix well, set aside.

In large skillet, over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter, 2 whole peeled cloves garlic. Cook spinach 2 to 3 minutes till just wilted, set aside. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet, increase to medium-high heat, cook zucchini, minced garlic, and mushrooms with remaining ½ teaspoon salt till softened, 8 minutes. Set aside with spinach.

In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, spread thin layer of bolognese sauce. Cover with 4 lasagna noodles, breaking up if necessary to line dish. Spread with ½ remaining sauce. Next, layer ½ the ricotta and egg mixture, followed by ½ the spinach and vegetables. Top with four more noodles, then last of ricotta, rest of vegetables, rest of sauce. Top this with remaining half ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzerella.

Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover another 15 minutes to brown top. Garnish with basil.

Sugo Rosso San Marco

Makes 3 1/2 cups sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bay leaf

12 ounces tomato paste

28 ounces tomato sauce

In a medium Dutch oven or stew pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetable mixture and cook till slightly colored, about 3 minutes.

Add oregano, sugar, stir, and reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste, combine with vegetables for 1 minute, stir in tomato sauce and add bay leaf. Simmer over medium to low heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Don't dry it out. Be sure to partially cover as sauce may splatter. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve over pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan, or as part of another recipe. Look forward to unbridled praise and perhaps an operatic aria or two.

Now that's Italian! 🇮🇹 🍝 🇮🇹 🍝 🇮🇹 🍝