Zucchini-sagna

Ingredients

2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 to 4 medium zucchini, shredded
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 28-ounce cans whole Italian plum tomatoes, such as San Marzano
9 to 10 leaves basil, torn
2 cups ricotta cheese, skim or whole
1/2 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup (about a palmful) mint, chopped

1 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 boxes no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Yields: 6 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the zucchini and garlic to the pan, and sauté until tender and wilted down, 5-6 minutes. Season the veggies and remove to a large bowl.

Return the pan to the heat and add in the butter, tomatoes, basil, some salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, crush the tomatoes up to make a chunky sauce. Bring the liquids up to a simmer and reserve warm.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, herbs, egg yolk, Parmigiano, some salt and pepper.

In a large lasagna pan, assemble the dish by ladling about 1/4 of the sauce into the bottom of the dish. Lay down enough pasta noodles in a single layer to cover the bottom (be sure and leave a little bit of room for them to expand during cooking). Top the noodles with 1/4 of the sautéed zucchini mixture. Cap the veggies off with another layer of noodles followed by about 1/4 of the ricotta, another layer of noodles and more sauce. Continue building the lasagna in this way until you've used up all the fillings, ending with red sauce on the top. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the dish and cover with foil.

Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes with the foil on, then remove it and continue baking for another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is browned.