Turkey and Goat Cheese Lasagna - aka Mouth Nirvana

Sunday, January 24, 2010


If I had to choose one recipe that was a favorite, especially a crowd favorite, indelibly inked in people's food memory...this one would be at the top of the list. I have altered this recipe over the last 4 to 5 years in several ways, but hands down, this has the balance of acidity to cheesiness, and a decadence and aromatic quality from the goat cheese that while "there" doesn't scream its presence. I just LOVE this recipe. Thank you, Ina Garten, you're a genious, and carry the key to my culinary heart.

Turkey and Goat Cheese Lasagna

Here's what I used:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (recipe calls for sweet italian sausage)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
kosher salt
black pepper
2/3 box lasagna noodles (the amount I end up using)
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz goat cheese (plain or seasoned)
1 cup grated parmesan
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Here's what I did:

Preheate oven to 400 degrees.

Fill a glass baking dish (wide enough for lasagna noodles) with hot, hot tap water. Add lasagna noodles, and allow to "par boil" for about 20 minutes. This allows you to skip the step of boiling the noodles...

In a large skillet over medium heat, I cooked the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then I added the garlic, allowed to cook for 1 minute, and then added turkey meat. I cooked this until the pink was gone from the meat, and then added the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, 1/2 the parsley, 1 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper. I then allowed the sauce to simmer while preparing the other portions.

Combine ricotta, goat cheese, parmesan, egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and remaining parsley together, and allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes (this will make it easier to spread).

In a 9x12 baking dish, ladle 1/3 of the sauce, and then lay 1/2 of the noodles. Follow with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 the mozzarella slices, and then another 1/3 of the sauce. Finally, add the remaining noodles, spread with the remaining ricotta, mozzarella and sauce. At this point, I sprinkle another small amount, maybe 1/4 cup of parmesan overtop.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling and cheese is melted.

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