My summer harvest (from the Hy-Vee produce department…) continues! This weekend my sister was visiting from out of town so I wanted to make something fresh that truly highlights all the delicious produce that is available right now. These lasagna rolls are healthy comfort food at it’s finest. They are perfectly portioned and easier to serve than regular lasagna, which can be pretty sloppy. If you don’t have time to make the sauce from scratch, no worries – the jarred kind will work just fine (I was just feeling fancy!).
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Score the skin of each tomato (being careful not to slice too deep). Boil tomatoes for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes and plunge into ice water. Peel and dice; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pan, cook the noodles for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes. Finish sauce with parsley; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13×9 pan with cooking spray.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper and sausage and cook until sausage is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add diced zucchini and summer squash and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
6. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cottage cheese, beaten egg, Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, salt and pepper.
7. Assemble lasagna rolls: working in batches, lay noodles flat on a cutting board and top with 1 scoop of the veggie/sausage mixture and 1 scoop of the cheese mixture. Roll up and place in the prepared pan. Cover rolls with the fresh tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes and garnish with fresh basil. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
Garden Lasagna Rolls with Italian Turkey Sausage
Serves 8
All you need:
Sauce
1 pound fresh plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small summer squash, diced
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish)
All you do:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Score the skin of each tomato (being careful not to slice too deep). Boil tomatoes for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes and plunge into ice water. Peel and dice; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pan, cook the noodles for 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes. Finish sauce with parsley; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13×9 pan with cooking spray.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper and sausage and cook until sausage is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add diced zucchini and summer squash and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
6. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, cottage cheese, beaten egg, Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, salt and pepper.
7. Assemble lasagna rolls: working in batches, lay noodles flat on a cutting board and top with 1 scoop of the veggie/sausage mixture and 1 scoop of the cheese mixture. Roll up and place in the prepared pan. Cover rolls with the fresh tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes and garnish with fresh basil. Allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.