Pasta and Pasta Sauce Recipes
Cupcake Lasagna
Yield: 8 servings; 4 cups sauce
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 (26 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, drained lightly
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
- Salt to taste
Lasagna
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 pound fresh spinach, chopped finely
- 1/2 small lemon, juiced
- 1 package round wonton wrappers
- 8 ounces mozzarella, grated
- 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 ounces ricotta cheese
- 8 cherry tomatoes, for garnish
- 8 small basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare tomato sauce.
Tomato Sauce
- Sauté garlic in heated olive oil until lightly browned.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir frequently over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Lower heat to simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. May be made in advance.
Lasagna
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden, about five minutes.
- Remove and discard garlic.
- Add spinach, a handful at a time, and stir-fry until it wilts, about three minutes.
- Add lemon juice, then transfer the spinach to a colander set over a bowl to drain.
- Reserve 8 tablespoons of Parmesan and 8 tablespoons of mozzarella - this will be the topping later.
- To assemble the lasagna, line each section of an 8 cup nonstick muffin pan with a round wonton wrapper.
- Put a little Parmesan, a little mozzarella, and a little ricotta into each mold.
- Top with a little spinach and a spoonful of sauce.
- Repeat layers of wonton wrappers, three cheeses, spinach, and tomato sauce, creating six layers in all, and ending with sauce. Sprinkle each with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella on top.
- Bake until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
- Add basil leaves for garnish.