I’m not anti lasagna noodle – whether the traditional cooked kind or the no-cook kind. But when I can combine two steps in the mixing and layering into just one, it makes assembling a lasagna so much easier.
And when you add using the delicious Celentano frozen gluten free cheese raviolis, you’ll have a wonderful, luscious lasagna to enjoy.
Today’s faux-sagna is vegetarian, makes 4 servings, and will be my lunch for this week:
- 1 bag of Celentano frozen gluten free cheese ravioli
- 1 jar of organic marinara (I’m using Publix Greenwise Roasted Garlic marinara)
- 3 cups of chopped vegetables that you like (I’m using onion, tri peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini)
- 1T preferred cooking oil (I use Pompeian Grapeseed Oil)
- 2-4 cups shredded mozzarella (I’m using Publix shredded part-skim, low moisture mozzarella)
Boil your ravioli according to package instructions; drain and let hang out in the colander – it won’t hurt a thing.
In the same pot you boiled the ravioli, heat 1 T cooking oil on medium and drop in all of the veg at once. Lightly salt and pepper your veg and cook for 15-20 minutes until onions are translucent, peppers and mushrooms are darker in color, and zucchini slices are soft and fold easily. Remove from heat and prepare to layer.
My layering protocol is (from bottom to top of an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish):
sauce- ravioli (12 pieces)
- veg
- cheese
- sauce (use a spoon to tamp down the lumps and smooth out the surface for beginning the next layer)
- ravioli (9 pieces)
- veg
cheese- sauce
- cheese
Before topping with that last layer of cheese, use a spoon to tamp down the lumps and smooth out the sauce, making sure the sauce goes all the way to the edges. That’s key for ensuring the pasta doesn’t dry out when you bake it.
TIP: make sure you get all of the sauce out of the jar by adding 1/4 cup of red wine or balsamic vinegar. Cap the jar and shake well. Pour the sauce and liquid right on top of the lasagna.
Remember, as long as you get it all in the pan and you’ve got a layer of ravioli stabilizing it at the bottom, your layering game can’t be wrong.
If I’m planning to eat the first serving the same day I make it, I’ll pop it into the oven to melt the cheese and blend the flavors at 350°F for 20 minutes. Otherwise, it goes in the fridge until I’m ready, when I’ll cook it at 350°F for 30 minutes – it takes a little longer when it comes straight from the fridge. After the initial cooking, I’ll heat individual servings on a plate in the microwave for 2 minutes, check, and then perhaps 1 minute more, depending on the microwave strength.
Why this isn’t corn free:
- the Celentano gluten free pasta uses blends/ingredients that contain corn starch, the BIG BAD dextrose (aka corn syrup), and white vinegar
- all pre-grated cheeses contain corn starch, which is used to keep the shreds separated
Singing about Cooking 