Fresh and Light Summer Zucchini Lasagna
Now that the kids are back in school and the onset of fall is just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about easy and satisfying meals that cater to the entire family. This Summer Zucchini Lasagna straddles both seasons by highlighting the fresh in-season flavors of summer while encompassing a warm and comforting lasagna for those cool early-fall evenings.
Our kitchen has been overflowing with fresh picked tomatoes and zucchini—thanks to my in-laws' vegetable garden. This layered lasagna utilizes summer's very best bounty.
It is quick to make, flavorful, and filling; embracing the last days of summer while ringing in the first handful of chilly autumn nights.
This Summer Zucchini Lasagna features some of my favorite ingredients—fresh ricotta and mascarpone cheese, zucchini, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. A dash of fresh nutmeg and herbs add the perfect seasoning that is light but full of flavor.
Summer Zucchini Lasagna serves 6 2 cups marina sauce 3 Tablespoons olive oil 2 stems celery 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 5 zucchini 1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese 4 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese 2 oz. Parmesan 1 whole nutmeg for grating about 6 lasagna sheets—boiled per directions and left to cool 1 tomato, thinly sliced 1 handful of fresh herbs—thyme and basil 1 handful pine nuts salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Finely chop celery and onion. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add celery and onion, season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and let soften gently for 10 minutes. Thinly slice garlic and coarsely grate zucchini. When the vegetables have softened, turn up the heat and stir in the zucchini.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini is bright green and pan in fairly dry (you may need to drain the pan if there is liquid left). Stir in garlic, cook for a minute more, then remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in two-thirds of the ricotta, all the mascarpone and half the Parmesan, then season to taste with salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg.
To build the lasagna, start by spooning half the zucchini mixture into a large baking dish. Top with a layer of lasagna sheets, then spoon half of the tomato sauce over them. Repeat layers, finishing with tomato sauce. Cover with sliced tomatoes, remaining ricotta, grated Parmesan, pine nuts and chopped herbs.
Bake lasagna until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
