"Collaboration" Lasagna
 

WARNING: This recipe looks long and difficult, but it's genuinely not. The length is because there are three "components" to assemble. This is the recipe I am the most proud of creating and I really hope you enjoy it, too.

"Collaboration" Lasagna

The other day I was eating yet another in a long line of Donald's Deep Dish Pizza Quiches (because I love them) and it occured to me that the "crust" might work as the base for a lasagna. I tried it and the results were INCREDIBLE. It's not something to toss together after work because it takes about 90 minutes to get on the table, but it makes tons of food, so you will have plenty of leftovers (like several days worth). It's really worth making and tastes almost as if you have an old Italian lady chained to your stove making food for your family.

I took this to a New Year's Eve party and people went absolutely nuts for it, even the host's children.

The Noodles (jumbo thanks to DWRolfe, hence the recipe's name)

8oz softened cream cheese
8 eggs
2/3 C heavy cream
1/2 C parmesan cheese (grated)
2 TBS chives or 1TB dried onion
1 tsp Italian or pizza seasoning
4 Cups shredded cheese
1 tsp wet garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Beat together cream cheese and eggs until smooth.
Add cream parmesean cheese and spices (including garlic).
Coat 2 13X9 baking dishes with oil.
Put 2 cups of shredded cheese in each dish and pour half of egg mixture over each. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes (this is less time than in the DDPQ recipe because the "noodles" will get extra cooking time as part of the lasagna. It's important that they are completely set however, as you will be removing one of the crusts from its pan later in the recipe. Keep a close eye on them and take them out of the oven once they look nice and solid.) Let rest for 10 minutes and then loosen one crust with a spatula. Reserve for later in the recipe.

The tomato-meat sauce and ricotta filling are adapted from Cook's Illustrated #58, page 15

Tomato Meat Sauce

1.5 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 medium onion, chopped fine or 3 tablespoons dried, minced onion.
6 medium garlic cloves, pressed or minced or 2 tablespoons wet garlic.
1.5 pounds ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/8 cup heavy cream
1 28oz jar of the lowest carb tomato sauce you can find
1 28oz can diced tomatos (drained) (I love Muir Glen brand)

Ricotta Filling

2.5 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional because of Italian seasoning in "noodles")
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven or skiilet over medium heat, about 2 minutes, add onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 2 minutes (if you are using dried onion, skip this step and add the onion with the ground beef). Add garlic and cook until softened, about 2 mins.
2. Increase heat to medium high, add ground beef, salt and pepper, breaking meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook for about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add tomato sauce and drained, diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for about 3 minutes, set sauce aside. (This will keep in fridge for 2 days if you wish to make ahead.)
3. Mix ricotta 1.5 C Parmesan, basil (optional), eggs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl with a fork until well-combined and creamy, set aside.
4. Smear bottom layer of "noodles" with 1/2 the meat sauce. Drop 3 tablespoon "blobs" of ricotta filling evenly across the surface (4 across, 3 down) and then flatten with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzarella.
5. Add reserved "noodle" layer and then repeat step 4 using the remaining meat sauce and ricotta filling. Sprinke with remaining mozzarella then remaining Parmesan.

Cook for 25 minutes until cheese is brown and sauce is bubbling. Let lasagna cool about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve. Enjoy!

Dig, that sounds scrummy!!!!! If I wanted to make that with Newman's Marinara in the jar instead of homemade, do you think 1 1/2 jars would be enough? I think the jars are 28 oz.

Hi Sandy,

You have some flexibility on the sauce, because the "noodles" aren't relying on the moisture in the sauce to help them finish cooking. I'd say to eyeball the sauce and if it looks like enough it probably is. The version I made on New Year's was half meat sauce, half tomato sauce because there were some vegetarians present. They loved it, so I guess it must taste just fine without doing the ground beef thing.

I really hope you'll make it. I'm dying for someone to try it because it's soooooooo good!

Happy cooking,
Lisa

After feasting for the first time on Donalds WONDERFUL pizza the other night...I showed your lazagna recipe to my husband.

HE'S DRIVING ME CRAZY waiting for me to make it today!

Pizza and lazagna being his MOST favorite foods...he's one happy LCer right now!!

Thanks soooooo much.

Deb

Yay! I'm so happy you're going to make this.

One tip: once, I used a mixture of cheeses to make it (that's what I had in the fridge) and it turned out a little salty. I highly recommend using just parmesan and mozzarella in the lasagna because it keeps the flavors simple and the most like a classic lasagna.

Happy cooking! Let me know how your husband likes it.

Ciao, Digwig

HE SAYS IT'S A KEEPER !!!

Thanks so much Dig & Donald for 2 of the BEST recipes I've found so far. It's much easier to stay with this WOL if you don't feel like you're depriving yourself of the things you love most!!

I'm thinking of taking Donald's crust and trying a "Veggie Pizza"...the kind made with crescent rolls and chopped vegatables and served as an appetizer. Would be a great bring-along to a party. How about thinning the crust down and trying for tortillas for wraps? Maybe next weekend.

Thanks again.

P.S.

Sandylee........1 jar was plenty !!

:) Now it gets a little easier, jarred sauce! Ricotta is a little high-carb though, 1 cup = 13 carbs.

I got very bored with LC food and have been on and off low carb for a couple of months, and to my dismay, put 8 pounds back on. I decided that the only way I could sticlk to Low Carb is to have a recipe book. I started making a binder yesterday, and this is definitely going to be in my repretoire!

Has anyone worked out the approximate carb count?

Hi Sandylee,

I haven't had the chance to Fitday this recipe, yet, but I wouldn't be too concerned about the ricotta because this recipe makes at least 16 servings (big ones) so each piece probably only has a few TBSP of ricotta.

Let me know how you like it.

Dig

I made it!
 

I haven't worked out the counts, but I did make the recipe. digwig (smootch) is right, it makes a heck of a lot of food. And I would serve it to guests, as it tastes very much lilke traditional lasagna with noodles. I especially liked that it cuts and serves and freezes in nice firm bricks!

I likey! :thup:

Donald :wave:

I'm making this tonight with ricotta, spinach and sausage filling. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I may have to "steal" the idea, with everyones permission of course! ;)

Karen

Okay, now I'm in heaven! Karen Barnaby is making one of my recipes. :thup:

I'd love to hear about any tweaking other people do to the recipe.

How did it do after being in the freezer, Donald? Did it change the texture at all?

Thanks,

Dig

Variations
 

I'm so happy today...the forum is flying along again!!

dig: it froze and defrosted just fine. I thought it tasted just great.

karen: I also was thinking of sausage and spinach for my next try. Really I was! Actually, I put some mushrooms in my first batch too...

xoDonald

I just LOVE sausages in stuff like this. Did the DDPQ at a class again last night with rave reviews. It had sausages and mushrooms in it.

When I talk about you and your spectacular success, people are awed. "He lost 100 pounds eating this?"

Oh yes, almost every day! :lol:

Karen

Karen and Donald,

What type of sausage do you guys use? I have to admit, I've never cooked with sausage (except breakfast sausages and bangers...sigh).

If you enjoy the way yours turns out, Karen, would you post the recipe for the sausage and spinach variation? I've only been cooking for about a year and I don't have a lot of experience with spinach. I know moisture is a factor, but I don't have a clue how much of one.

Thanks, Dig