And the adventures CONTINUE!!! Sorry for the hiatus while I finished school, but now you may all rejoice and prepare yourselves for more deliciousness.

This recipe is by request for my brother, Jay.

If it isn’t obvious from the title, this post is about lasagna. Not just any lasagna, though.

I’ve always liked the idea of lasagna but I have a hard time getting past ricotta cheese. It’s weird because I like ricotta in other dishes. I love cannoli, for instance. There’s this meal my mother would make where she’d take chicken breast halves and place them on top of layers of ricotta cheese and spinach with a generous drizzle of a garlic and herb sauce. The way the sauce mingled and caramelized with the ricotta changed it into something a little sweet, very savory and delicate on the palate.

But let me get back on topic! This is about the edible moment ricotta lets me down, the moment I find it unappealing and unflattering to a dish.

Typically, I can handle a traditional lasagna if the the ricotta layers are very thin (my mother-in-law, Paulette, makes it this way). In that respect, it works to accent the dish in a similar way to the lasagna I make below. Sometimes a lasagna crosses my plate that has so much ricotta that you aren’t even sure if there’s pasta or sauce inside.

A few years ago, I decided there must be a lasagna out there for people like me. So naturally, I took to the internet.

I came across meatless lasagna, cheese-less lasagna, pasta-less lasagna, etc. (why is ‘meatless’ the only non-hyphenated ‘less’ up there? WHY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE, WHY!!!).

It was a messy endeavor. After some more research, I discovered a lasagna people were referring to as ‘Northern Italian Lasagna’. I could only deduce that this style differed due to the regionally closer proximity to France.

This version isn’t much different from the traditional. It simply replaces the ricotta cheese with a bechamel (or white) sauce (the base for an Alfredo sauce). It’s a smooth, creamy replacement for ricotta and makes the iconic dish something entirely unique and delicious.

My recipe is a great way to make this dish quick and easy on a week night with only a little prep. I encourage you to take your own lasagna recipe and try substituting the ricotta for bechamel and tell me how it turns out!

I keep it simple with ground beef browned up with some onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes give way to a sweet and bright sauce. I always like to throw in some basil from my window herb garden to compliment the bright acidity with a sweet and mildly anise-y taste and aroma. A few shakes of crushed red pepper lend a little heat to the back end of the palate. Simply omit the meat for a great vegetarian-friendly sauce.

The bechamel is great because it adds a thin, creamy layer with a hint of nutmeg that adds a spiced complexity to the lasagna. The flavor is subtle and delicate which compliments the hearty and tart acidity of the tomato sauce.

I went with oven-ready lasagna but I have made this with regular noodles before. I omit tomato paste from my sauce to give the noodles more liquid to absorb and cook fully.

My vegetarian version is much the same but instead of the meat in the sauce, you roast up some veggies and layer them in. See below for my roasted veggie option!

A super quick pro tip: It isn’t as good this way but I’ve made a version of this using jarred marinara and Alfredo sauces. It’s a great way to make a lasagna fast on a busy weeknight without resorting to take-out or a frozen meal.

Recipe:

Tomato sauce:

• 1 to 1-1/2 lbs ground beef or turkey
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 1 box of oven ready lasagna (I used Barilla specifically)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you’re feeling sassy!)
• salt & pepper to taste

Note: Go vegetarian with this one simply by omitting the meat.

Bechamel Sauce:

• 3 c. of milk
• 1/4 c. of unsalted butter
• 1/4 c. of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. of nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Veggies:

• 1 large red onion, rough chopped
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 8oz. Crimini mushrooms, quartered
• 8oz. Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
• 1-2tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Tomato Sauce:
In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil on medium to medium-low. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent. Add ground meat and cook until brown. Add tomatoes, basil, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Bechamel Sauce:
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter on medium-low heat and whisk in flour to make a roux. Whisk in milk and reduce heat to low. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Roasted Veggies:
Prepare ahead of time and preheat oven to 400°F. Place all veggies on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until veggies start to caramelize on top.

Oven Method:
Preheat oven to 375­°F. In a greased 9″ x 13″ baking dish or pan, add some of the tomato sauce in a thin layer on the bottom to help keep the lasagna from sticking. Next, add the layers as follows:

1. Noodles
2. Tomato sauce
3. Veggies, if included
4. Bechamel sauce
5. Cheese
6. Repeat

I usually get 3 or 4 layers. When you reach the top layer, add extra cheese after the bechamel. Cover with foul and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes for a crispier top layer. Garnish with fresh basil and/or parsley and serve with nice bread, a side salad, etc.

Slow Cooker Method:
Coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray or olive oil (bottom and sides). Before you start layering, add about 1/2 cup of water to the tomato sauce to give it more moisture during the slow cooking process. Add some tomato sauce in a thin layer on the bottom. Next, add the layers as follows:

1. Noodles
2. Tomato sauce
3. Veggies, if included
4. Bechamel sauce
5. Cheese
6. Repeat

I try to stop layering about an inch from the rim of the insert. Add extra cheese on the top layer. Set on LOW for 4-6 hours. Garnish with fresh basil and/or parsley and serve with nice bread, a side salad, etc.