This is a favorite of LIv’s family and friends. She uses thinly sliced zucchini instead of lasagna noodles, but that’s a personal preference.
- 1 lb ground meat (hamburger turkey) (you can exclude meat to make it vegetarian)
- Appx 10 c spaghetti sauce (Liv makes her own sauce (see below)*, but you can use your favorite pre-made sauce)
- 5 large zucchini, sliced thin (or 1 box lasagna noodles, al dente)
- 4 c mozzarella plus 1 c separated
- 3 eggs
- 24 oz small curd cottage cheese
- 3 TB fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- salt & pepper
- 5 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground meat in a large skillet, add sauce and simmer covered. Mix the 4 c mozzarella with the eggs, cottage cheese and parsley until well blended. Salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the lasagna by using a 13x9x2 lasagna pan and adding layers. Start with a layer of the sauce, then a layer of zucchini (or noodles), then a layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat this until near the top where the last two layers will be the zucchini then sauce on top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and cover with foil. Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese on top. Place back in the over for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool at least 20-30 minutes. Cut into squares.
Liv’s Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 pound mushrooms of choice, sliced
- 2 large white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 zucchini, shredded
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- olive oil
- 4 TB tomato paste
- 1 c dry red wine
- 2 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 6 14-oz cans tomato sauce
- 3 TB fresh basil, chopped
- 1 TB fresh oregano, chopped
- Salt and pepper
Heat up large skillet and olive oil over medium high heat and saute mushrooms until brown. Add onion and bell pepper and saute for about 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini and carrots and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Add tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes or so, stirring constantly. Add wine to de-glaze skillet. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, then season again with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and turn down low to simmer. This can simmer as long as you’d like it to. The longer, the better, just make sure to stir it once in awhile. Add the basil and oregano.
