Master Recipe
Quick Lasagne with Meatballs
serves 6 to 8
NOTE: Make sure to buy American no-boil noodles, which are long
and thin. In our testing, we found that square Italian no-boil
noodles taste great, but their odd shape makes them difficult to
use in a standard casserole dish.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
15 dried 7 x 3 1/2 inch no-boil lasagne noodles
1 recipe Best Meatballs
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil and garlic in medium skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil or parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 1/2 cups.
2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over bottom of greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Lay three noodles crosswise over sauce, making sure they do not touch each other or sides of the pan. Spread 1/4 of prepared meatballs evenly over noodles, 3/4 cup sauce evenly over meatballs, and 3/4 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan evenly over sauce. Repeat layering of noodles, meatballs, sauce, and cheeses three more times. For fifth and final layer, lay final three noodles crosswise over previous layer and top with remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 2 generous table-moons Parmesan. (Can be wrapped with plastic and refrigerated overnight or wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator.)
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover pan with large sheet foil greased with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes (30 minutes if chilled); remove foil and continue baking until top turns golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let lasagne rest 5 minutes. Cut and serve immediately
VARIATION:
Quick Lasagne with Roasted Zucchini and Eggplant
Adjust oven racks to upper-and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss 1 pound each zucchini (about 2 medium) and eggplant (about 2 small), cut into 1/2-inch dice, with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 4 minced garlic doves, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread out vegetables on two greased baking sheets; roast, turning occasionally until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Set vegetables aside. Proceed with Master Recipe, replacing meatballs with roasted zucchini and eggplant.