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Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Lasagna with Spinach

Ingredients

1 Tbsp                          Olive oil

2 Tbsp                          Garlic, minced

1 10-oz package          Spinach, frozen, then thawed and excess moisture squeezed out

1 10-oz package         Spinach, fresh, cleaned and roughly chopped

1 /2 tsp                        Salt

2                                   Eggs

15 oz                            Ricotta cheese

1 cup                            Romano cheese, shredded

1 1 /2 tsp                     Black pepper

1 1 /2 tsp                     Salt

12                                  Lasagna sheets, cooked until al dente in boiling salted water

2 cups                          Mozzarella, shredded

1 recipe                        Tomato sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds, add fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt. Add drained spinach and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Romano cheese, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir well.

Ladle two cups of tomato sauce into a three-quart baking dish. Place a layer of three pasta sheets on the sauce and top with half of the ricotta mixture. Spread half of the sautéed spinach on the ricotta mixture. Lay down another layer of pasta sheets and top with two cups of sauce. Spread out evenly. Sprinkle the sauce with half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat these two steps again. Cover the baking dish tightly first with plastic wrap and then foil. (The plastic will not melt. It will prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the foil). Bake covered for 1 hour. Remove foil and plastic and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow lasagna to set 20 minutes before serving. Spoon the remaining sauce on top of lasagna just before serving. Yield: 8-12 servings

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