Friday Recipe: Zucchini Lasagne (kosher for passover, I promise!)

>> Friday, April 2, 2010


Passover (it's day 4) makes me very jealous of Sephardic Jews (of North African and the Middle Eastern heritage) as they can eat a category of food called "kitniyot" -- corn, beans, pulses, legumes, and such -- that Ashkenazic Jews (of European descent) cannot. It's not the ban on bread and bread-like items that makes this holiday challenging for vegetarians, it's the restrictions on kitniyot and therefore sources of protein, that are difficult. Also, Passover reminds you just how many [processed] foods use corn syrup and soybean oil.

In any event, I had an epiphany when I realized that my friend Alix's Zucchini Lasagne is kosher-for-Passover as it brilliantly uses zucchini strips in place of noodles.

Friday Recipe: Alix's Zucchini Lasagne

Ingredients:
*3 large zucchini
*salt
*cooking spray (olive oil will work too)
*1 small onion, finely chopped
*2 medium garlic cloves, minced
*12 oz button mushrooms, sliced
*3 cups tomatoes, chopped (approx. 3 beef steak tomatoes)
*1 tbsp dried basil
*1 tsp dried oregano
*¼ tsp nutmeg
*¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
*1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Place in a bowl and salt generously, tossing once or twice to coat well. Lay strips on paper towels on your work surface. Set aside 1 hour. 

2. Meanwhile, spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray (or use olive oil) and set over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.

3. Add garlic; cook 20 seconds.  

4. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until they give off their liquid and it reduces to a glaze, about 7 minutes.

5. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, nutmeg and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down and the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes.

6. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F.

7. Blot any moisture off the zucchini strips with paper towels. Use one third of the zucchini strips to line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan, laying them lengthwise like you would lasagna noodles. Top evenly with one third of the sauce, then one third of the shredded cheese. Place half the remaining zucchini strips on top, as before, then top evenly with half the remaining sauce and half the remaining cheese. Repeat this process one more time: using the remaining zucchini, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.

8. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing into 6 pieces; serve. 

5 comments:

emily April 2, 2010 at 3:33 PM  

thanks for sharing! would it be ok to use a peeler to slice the zucchini length wise, or would this make the zucchini too thin? Not sure i have a good enough knife to slice the zucchini and not my fingers, so hoping to find another option (peeler?). hag sameach!

two hippos April 2, 2010 at 5:02 PM  

I think a peeler would work. Let me know if you try it!

Anonymous April 3, 2010 at 6:04 PM  

thanks for the recipe. I think I will try it. Usually I use matzah for the "noodles". I married into a sephardic family and as a vegetarian I can attest that it certainly makes things easier- though I am not sure that that is the point...hmmm...

Sharon

ps I loved the last quilt you posted. Amanda Jeans patterns produce such great quilts.

Rachael Adele April 5, 2010 at 8:28 AM  

Thanks for this! I found a recipe in my Jewish Italian cookbook for a lasagna using matzo and pesto but haven't had the nerve to try it. I've been eating quinoa for protein and to satisfy the feeling of grain-- and it's a seed, so it's OK!

Micki April 6, 2010 at 6:14 PM  

I will definitely have to try this recipe!
Micki

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