POTATO LASAGNA
Because my mother does not believe that pasta is real food, I have replaced the pasta sheets in this classic lasagna recipe with thin sheets of potatoes, creating a hearty dish that no Sweden can complain about. If you prefer, use a marinara sauce with meat or turkey.
POTATO LASAGNA
Servings: 5 people
Ingredients
- 2 cups water, salted
- 3 cups baby spinach, washed (5 ¼ ounce bag)
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (15-ounce container)
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into rectangular blocks (2 large)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or purchased
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium saucepan bring salted water to a boil. Add spinach and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
- Squeeze out excess water, chop the spinach, and stir in the ricotta cheese.
- Add parsley, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan into spinach mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- With a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- In a large pot of salted water, boil the potato sheets until they begin to soften but before they become too soft to easily handle, about 5 minutes.
- Rub butter on the bottom of an 8 x 10-inch glass baking pan.
- Add a layer of potatoes to the pan, trimming slices to fit if necessary. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, spread on a thin layer of marinara sauce, then spread on half the ricotta cheese mixture.
- Repeat layers, ending with potatoes and a thin final layer of marinara sauce, sprinkled with parmesan.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil and bake until potatoes are cooked through, about 10-20 minutes more.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before carving into slices.
From The Swedish Table published by the University of Minnesota Press, 2005, 2013. Used by permission.