Ratatouille Lasagna - To Die For |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 90 Minutes |
Ready In: 90 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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I was looking for a different kind of lasagna that would be unusual, yet tasty and I thought about ratatouille as an addition/substitution. I found some recipes and got the general idea of how to toss one together using a terrine (I like to use terrines for lasagna so I can put the lasagna in the fridge, turn it out when cold and slice it into serving sized squares, put in baggies and freeze it. Read more . This recipe can be doubled or more and by all means use leftovers to make it. Ingredients:
1 pint ratatouille (can be leftover) |
1 pint marinara, tomato, salsa or spaghitti sauce; with or without meat (can be leftover) |
1 pkg (8 oz) no-cook lasagna noodles |
1 pint thick white sauce - including cottage or ricotta cheese, flour, milk and butter (can use leftovers) |
1 cup shredded cheddar or other sharp cheese (can be leftover) |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Using a long pate terrine with a top that can hold several quarts, cut wax paper to fit closely along sides and bottom with at least 2 inches extending on top. Don't worry about the ends - they do not have to be covered.
3. Take the fitted wax paper out and grease the sides, ends and bottom of the terrine with butter or olive oil. Do the same thing to the inside facing side of the wax paper so it is well greased.
4. Insert the wax paper, ungreased side toward greased terrine, and make sure it fits closely all around - leaving 2 inches extending beyond each side of the terrine.
5. Now smear some of the tomato type sauce on the bottom of the terrine on the wax paper.
6. Place one layer of the lasagna noodles next - you may have to break them to fit... no matter. It will come out great anyway.
7. Add a cup of the ratatouille (1/2 of it all). Spread out evenly over the lasagna noodles evenly.
8. Add a cup of the white sauce mix (1/2 of it all). Spread out evenly over the ratatouille best you can.
9. Add a cup of the tomato type sauce (1/2 of it all). Spread out evenly over the white sauce best you can.
10. Add another layer of noodles and repeat the ratatouille, white sauce and tomato type sauce, using them all up.
11. Add the last layer of noodles and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
12. Fold over the wax paper on top. Don't worry if it doesn't lay down flat against shredded cheese.
13. Place terrine top on the terrine.
14. Put in oven and bake for at least an hour... can go 1 1/2 hours or longer.
15. Take out and let cool. Make sure you can remove top - sometimes the cheese will form a seal at the top which would make it difficult to remove the top later. Clean the top if necessary.
16. After cool, put in fridge overnight.
17. When completely cold, insert knife with flat side against one of the ends of the terrine and slide back and forth to loosen the end of the lasagna. Do the same for the other end.
18. Then slip the flat side of the knife between the wax paper and one side and slide back and forth to make sure it is free. Do the same for the other side.
19. Turn out on a cutting board large enough to hold the whole terrine from end to end.
20. Remove wax paper.
21. Slice lasagna into 1 inch pieces and place each slice into it's own, small plastic sandwich bag.
22. Store or freeze bagged lasagna slices in fridge or freezer until you are ready to use them.
23. Nuke until hot when ready to serve. (I find 2 minutes per slice works well - double for frozen.)
24. This method and recipe is the best I have ever tasted... I made a double recipe and cooked two terrines full of lasagna.
25. Serving suggestion: one slice per person with a side salad.
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