Offers great tastes and textures. Sweet red pepper sauce, slightly bitter escarole and creamy ricotta. Yum. Pretty, too. I can't recall the source.
Escarole and Red Pepper Lasagna
1/2 cup plus 1 T olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 large spanish onion -- 1 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes with their liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 heads escarole (about 4 pounds) leaves separated and rinsed
3 T unsalted butter plus 2 T melted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups Ricotta
1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles
In large pan or dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the red peppers, sliced onion and half of the garlic. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes w/liquid and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer vegetables and liquid to a food processor and puree in batches until smooth. Strain through a coarse sieve. (Or, pass through food mill) Season with S&P to taste and set aside.
In large skilet over high heat, cook escarole leaves in batches in the water that clings to them until wilted. This should take about 3 minutes per batch. Chop coarsely and squeeze out excess moisture.
In same skillet, heat remaining 1 T olive oil with 3 T butter over low heat. Add the chopped onion and remaining garlic and cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to moderate, add escarole and cook until blended, about 5 minutes. Season with S&P to taste and cool to room temperature. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Stir together ricotta, mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with pepper.
Cook lasagna noodles until tender, about 10 minutes. Run cold water in pot until noodles cool, lift out noodles and drain on paper towels.
Preheat oven to 350F. Pour 1/3 of red pepper sauce into 9x13 baking dish and spread evenly. Arrange 3 noodles in dish and spread 1/3 escarole over noodles. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture evenly over escarole. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles, spread melted butter over noodles and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup parmesan on top.
Bake 1 hour on top rack of oven, until bubbly and crisp on top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 - 8.
Escarole and Red Pepper Lasagna
1/2 cup plus 1 T olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 large spanish onion -- 1 thinly sliced, 1 chopped
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) Italian plum tomatoes with their liquid
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 heads escarole (about 4 pounds) leaves separated and rinsed
3 T unsalted butter plus 2 T melted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups Ricotta
1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles
In large pan or dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the red peppers, sliced onion and half of the garlic. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes w/liquid and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer vegetables and liquid to a food processor and puree in batches until smooth. Strain through a coarse sieve. (Or, pass through food mill) Season with S&P to taste and set aside.
In large skilet over high heat, cook escarole leaves in batches in the water that clings to them until wilted. This should take about 3 minutes per batch. Chop coarsely and squeeze out excess moisture.
In same skillet, heat remaining 1 T olive oil with 3 T butter over low heat. Add the chopped onion and remaining garlic and cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to moderate, add escarole and cook until blended, about 5 minutes. Season with S&P to taste and cool to room temperature. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Stir together ricotta, mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with pepper.
Cook lasagna noodles until tender, about 10 minutes. Run cold water in pot until noodles cool, lift out noodles and drain on paper towels.
Preheat oven to 350F. Pour 1/3 of red pepper sauce into 9x13 baking dish and spread evenly. Arrange 3 noodles in dish and spread 1/3 escarole over noodles. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture evenly over escarole. Repeat 2 more times. Top with remaining 3 noodles, spread melted butter over noodles and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup parmesan on top.
Bake 1 hour on top rack of oven, until bubbly and crisp on top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 - 8.