Classic Cheese Lasagne (Martha Stewart)

"Noodles, marinara, noodles, ricotta mixture, Parmesan..." Despite that I kept telling myself this while layering the lasagne, I was still confused! Mine was eventually "noodles, marinara, ricotta mixture, Parmesan, noodles, marinara..." Silly me! In regardless, it was really fun baking this dish because this is my first time making fresh lasagne noodles.

Without addition of meat, this vegetarian lasagne is actually not rich at all and perfect for us to eat. Funny that my meat-eating husband and son didn't realise that this at all. Seriously, there was no complains at all! After we finished our dinner and cleaning up our plates, my husband suddenly had a surprised look at me and said "I don't remember that I ate any meat just now..." LOL!

This lasagne doesn't need any meat. All it need is lots of cheese and love. *smile*

A very nice vegetarian lasagne

Making the Marinara

Making the fresh lasagne noodles. Didn't have a pasta drying rack, used a cooling rack instead.

Layering the lasagne

Although I was a little confused with my layering order, the lasagne still look good!

Here's the recipe from Martha Stewart

(with my modification and notes in blue)

Classic Cheese Lasagne

1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese 
(I used the light one which has 4.7g fat per 100g)
1 large egg (I actually forgot to add this!)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I didn't add this)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh mozzarella
Marinara
Fresh Lasagna Noodles, cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked
5 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, (about 1 3/4 cups) (plus extra to top)

Preheat oven to 375°F (or 150°C fan forced). Combine ricotta, egg, nutmeg (I didn't add egg and nutmeg), and salt in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Coarsely grate 1/2 of the mozzarella, and stir into ricotta mixture. Using your fingers, shred remaining mozzarella into 2-inch strips, and reserve.

Spread 1/2 cup marinara in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place a layer of noodles over marinara. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan. Place a layer of noodles over the cheese layer.

Spread 1 cup marinara over noodles. Repeat layering (noodles, marinara, noodles, ricotta mixture, Parmesan) 2 more times. (Mine was noodles, marinara, ricotta mixture, Parmesan, noodles, marinara x 2) Spread remaining marinara over cheese layer, then sprinkle with shredded mozzarella (plus extra Parmesan).

Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 45 to 50 min. Let stand for 15 min before slicing and serving.

Marinara

2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled plum tomatoes, undrained
(my can tomatoes are finely chopped and do not require any processing)
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (2 tbsp)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Pulse tomatoes and juices in a food processor until coarsely chopped (I didn't do this).

Heat garlic and oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 2 min. Add tomato puree, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 30 min. Let cool slightly. Sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.

Fresh Lasagna Noodles

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
3 large eggs
Coarse salt

Mound flour on a work surface, and make a well in the center. Beat eggs and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, then pour eggs into well. Using a fork, slowly add flour to eggs, incorporating a small amount at a time, switching to hands as dough becomes stiff.

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, about 10 min. Cover with plastic, and let dough rest on counter for 1 1/2 hrs.

Cut dough into 8 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping remaining pieces covered, dust dough lightly with flour, and feed through a pasta machine's widest setting (No.1).

Fold dough lengthwise into thirds, and rotate 90 degrees. Pass through machine 2 more times.
Turn dial to next-narrower setting. Pass dough through machine twice, gently supporting it with your palms. Continue to roll dough through ever-finer settings, 2 passes each, until sheet is almost translucent . If dough bubbles or tears, pass it through again, and dust with flour if it sticks. 

Immediately cut sheet into lasagna noodles: 4-inch squares for individual lasagna or 4-by-13-inch strips for a large pan. Transfer strips to a drying rack for 1 hr. (Mine is just dried for 1 hr) Repeat with remaining dough. (Noodles can be stored, when completely dry and stiff, for up to 1 week.)

Fill a large bowl with cool water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 2 to 3 noodles at a time for 90 seconds. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer noodles to cool water, and swirl a few times. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to use, placing a piece of parchment or plastic between layers. Use immediately.

Note:

Using half amount of this recipe, I have baked my lasgane in a 16 cm x 26 cm baking dish at 150°C fan forced for 45 min.

Instead of dividing the dough into 8, I've divided by my half amount into 4 and can make eight of 10 cm x 26 cm lasagna noodles.

Happy Baking

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