... and not how you might expect!
I used sausage, like I always had. Where the vegetables come in is in place of the pasta. Layer in fresh spinach leaves, not in a single layer (this doesn't work as well) but in a heavy handful type of layer. This takes the place of the pasta reasonably well. I'm on my third whack at this experiment, and it seems the thicker layer of spinach leaves helps it keep its shape better. You also want to go easy on the sauce in the layering, but reserve some to drizzle on top of the pieces after it's cut. You can also better control the tomato-carbs by using less sauce in the layers! It will hold together better if it's a little drier for baking, and if you let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting. The first time, I also used chunks of broccoli and cauliflower to give it more chew, but these make it really watery. This last time I used broccoli only, not too much, and cooked it as dry as I could get in a saucepan before layering it in. What a treat for a former pastahead! I wanted to have the recipe perfected before I posted, but in reality it sounds like something other former pastaheads might have fun playing with.

Stacie
222/125

thanks for the idea stacie..
i have tried for three days and several stores to find an EGGPLANT to make some "pasta" lasagna... but noooooooooooooooo .. no one HAS any..

whats the deal... the one time i want eggplant.. no one has em..

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I do the same using eggplant for lasagna...mmmm,... makes me want to go and get some this weekend....
going out of town, maybe make it when we get there.
c

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Henry

Most of the recipes I fix are easy and do not require a lot of time. However, my recipe for zucchini lasagna is not one of them, principally because of the time it takes to make the "pasta" layers by laying strips of zucchini side by side. (Sort of like laying shoestrings side by side to make a layer.) However, the result is worth the effort, both in taste and appearance. In addition, one 9x13 pan makes enough servings that it makes the preparation time worth the effort.

LA VITA LOW-CARB
LASAGNA
4 large zucchini (at least 2?? in diameter)
4 lbs ground meat (beef, turkey, pork sausage, or combination)

2 lbs mushrooms, sliced thick

1 cup sherry

6 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

3 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 Tbsp crushed red pepper

2 tsp black pepper, divided

1 cup Newman?s Own Industrial Strength Marinara Sauce (or other l/c marinara sauce)

1 can tomato paste

1 cup sour cream

1 (12 oz) carton dry curd cottage cheese

1 and 1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese



Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add sliced mushrooms, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 cup sherry. Cook over medium-high heat stirring occasionally until all liquid has evaporated (only melted butter left). Drain and set aside.

While mushrooms are cooking, using a vegetable peeler, peel zucchini, discarding the outside layer of peel. Peel the inside of the zucchini in long strips to the seed core. Discard the core, or use for another purpose. To increase to width of each strip of zucchini, make 3 or 4 strips from the same area then rotate slightly and make 3 or 4 more strips.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add minced garlic and stir fry for 1 minute. Add ground meat and 1 tsp black pepper cook until meat is almost browned, stirring frequently. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper and chopped onion. Continue cooking until onion is translucent and meat is cooked, stirring frequently. Drain, place in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream tomato paste and marinara sauce. Add mixture to the ground meat and stir to combine.

Pre-heat oven to 350*. Spray a deep 9x13? baking dish with pan spray. Take zucchini strips and lay out length wise (side by side) to cover bottom of the pan, overlapping as necessary. (Use 3 layers of zucchini strips. I prefer to alternate vertical strips with a layer of horizontal strips.) Spread ? of the meat mixture over the layer of zucchini, spread ? of the mushrooms on top of the meat. Add ? of the cottage cheese, spreading evenly and 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of zucchini. Top the lasagna with the remaining 1/3 of mozzarella and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, raise one end of the pan slightly and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a squeeze baster or spoon, remove excess liquid (about ? to ? cup of water released from zucchini during cooking). Cut into squares and serve. (It also helps, after serving the initial pieces to leave the end of the pan raised to cause any additional excess liguid to drain.) Refrigerate leftovers and when chilled, it can be cut into squares and frozen.

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Henry

You can do this using steamed cabbage too.

Henry, I've done mine with zucchini, but I don't go to all that trouble! I slice it, peel and all, into "planks" the length of the squash and maybe 1/8" thick, then oven-roast them a bit to get the moisture out, then layer it up. I do the same with eggplant if I use THAT - thinly slice it lengthwise, sprinkle with garlic salt, oven-roast and layer.

I love lasagna made with veggies instead of pasta, and meat sauce! Might have to make me some soon, now that my mouth is watering....

Char

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Funny, Reading this thread I was just thinking cabbage as pasta substitute as a co-worker is eating his Mum's stuffed cabbage leaves right now. Beef and lamb mixture and it smells wonderful. I've never made them before -- I guess I'll try soon.

Char, the first time I tried the zucchini lasagna I cut it into planks but was not happy with the result. (The slices were too thick and did not resemble pasta. Perhaps if I had and used a mandoline to slice them a little thinner the result might have been different. However, while it takes a little time to make the layers as I do, I think the end product justifies the time.) I have made a moussaka using layers of sliced eggplant. However, while tasty, it did not have the "look" of pasta like I get with my zucchini strips so I would be hesitant to use eggplant as a pasta substitute for lasagna, though I'm sure the taste would be fine, sort of like an Italian moussaka I would imagine.

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Henry

I just quit trying to make stuff "look like" any more - LOL! I call it what it is and just enjoy it that way.

I HAVE, however, done that same thing with the zucchini as you do, then drop it into steaming water for a minute, drain, and use that like pasta. It's actually pretty good too! Then I bought a Spirooli slicer and that works so slick that I even gave up making the peeled stuff at all.

Char

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

I also use the same technique of dropping the peels in boiling water for 1 minute, draining under cold water and then using like pasta in my zucchini carbonara. It does work great. What is a Spirooli slicer?

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Henry

It's the most fun gadget! You trim up whatever you want to Spirooli, spear it on the turning thingie, then turn it against the blades to get these LOOOOONG spirals of zucchini, or carrot, or Daikon radish, or - well you get the idea!

Here, you can take a peek:

http://www.discountjuicers.com/spirooli.html

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Veni, vidi, velcro. I came, I saw, I stuck around.

Save the Earth - it's the only planet with CHOCOLATE!

Back in the Form-You-3 days we used leaves of cabbage to substitute for the pasta. It was pretty good!

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