As a skier, food is a central part of life; eating lots, and eating tasty food are among the top priorities each day. For many reasons, lasagna is one of my favourite foods – I believe it can be enjoyed for any meal; a hot dinner, then leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and maybe even dinner again if I made enough! It’s great after a long ski on the trails, or as a snack on the way to a race. While you can buy large pre-made lasagnas from the store, making your own doesn’t have to take too long, and you can make it exactly the way you like, and know what all the ingredients are.
Below is my favourite lasagna recipe; it is delicious, makes lots, and is great to bring to potlucks too, because being made without meat, it is perfect for vegetarians as well. There is protein from the eggs and cheese, and carrots in the sauce that add a touch of sweetness (grated zucchini can also be added or substituted)
Homemade sauce
Noodles
Cheese
When these are ready to go, I recommend building the lasagna in the following order;
Cook at 325 F for 45 minutes, and allow around 10 or 15 minutes to set before cutting and serving. This lasagna is a hearty classic in the winter, and with some experimentation, a tasty summer variety can be made with pesto and fancy cheese that is quite good as well. Happy cooking!
(This recipe from the soon to be published Kukagami Cookbook, details at http://www.kukagamilodge.blogspot.com/)
Homemade sauce
- Dice 1 or 2 large onions and sauté for about 10 minutes
- Add some chopped garlic, and 2 cups of grated carrots; sauté for 5 more minutes
- Add some fresh or dried basil and oregano, stirring thoroughly
- Add two cans of tomatoes (can be diced or crushed) and one small can of tomato paste if you want the sauce a little thicker. Stirring, heat this to boiling and allow it to simmer up to a couple hours.
- Add some chopped garlic, and 2 cups of grated carrots; sauté for 5 more minutes
- Add some fresh or dried basil and oregano, stirring thoroughly
- Add two cans of tomatoes (can be diced or crushed) and one small can of tomato paste if you want the sauce a little thicker. Stirring, heat this to boiling and allow it to simmer up to a couple hours.
Noodles
I’ve always boiled/cooked the noodles, and it takes around 12 for a 9 by 12 pan. They should be almost cooked (a little al dente) and rinsed in cool water after draining.
Cheese
1- About a pound of grated mozzarella cheese.
2- Cheese/sauce: Mix 500 ml of cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and two tablespoons of parsley.
2- Cheese/sauce: Mix 500 ml of cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and two tablespoons of parsley.
When these are ready to go, I recommend building the lasagna in the following order;
- a little sauce on the bottom of the pan under the first layer of noodles
- layer noodles/cottage cheese mix/mozzarella/tomato sauce
- repeat until pan is full! (probably 3 or 4 layers).
- layer noodles/cottage cheese mix/mozzarella/tomato sauce
- repeat until pan is full! (probably 3 or 4 layers).
Cook at 325 F for 45 minutes, and allow around 10 or 15 minutes to set before cutting and serving. This lasagna is a hearty classic in the winter, and with some experimentation, a tasty summer variety can be made with pesto and fancy cheese that is quite good as well. Happy cooking!
(This recipe from the soon to be published Kukagami Cookbook, details at http://www.kukagamilodge.blogspot.com/)
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