Lasagna Party
Lasagna is a team sport (and I’m not just saying that because I made it with my kickball team). It may as well have 400 steps, but the point is participation and celebration.
Everybody wins when you make lasagna because, well, it’s a party .. a really, really good one. Some have claimed that this is the best lasagna they’ve ever had. Perhaps they haven’t had much lasagna in their lifetimes or perhaps … the party (and the lasagna) were just that good. Do your soul and your social life a favor. I want you to fall in love with this concept. Let friends slice the carrots and wash and tear the greens - this version is a vegetable lasagna, and yes, it has carrots. Put someone on sauce duty. Invite someone who makes a good salad and tell everyone to bring appetizers (and wine). Make it on Christmas Eve or for your best friend’s birthday. Do it on the weekend, stay up late, and drink all the wine. What is feeding the people you love if not a collaborative act of self-care, sustenance, and celebration? It also feels like much less work when everyone helps.
It might make for a late dinner but don’t do too much ahead.
If dinner were a show (which it is), lasagna wants to be the second act.
This version eliminates unnecessary steps like (cover your nonna’s ears) boiling noodles. Buy high-quality, fresh noodles and, I repeat, do not boil them. We’re already spending so much time on the other layers, there is no reason to destroy your kitchen flopping large sheets of wet pasta around (likely tearing them in the process). If you can’t find fresh, get “no-boil” noodles. Lasagna’s hour-long baking time is more than adequate for pasta sheets to absorb the moisture (and flavor) they need to become perfectly al dente.
Lasagna is also a flexible dish. Its only requirements are sheets of pasta, some kind of sauce, and cheese. The rest is up for grabs.
Meat or no meat? Beef, chicken, or seafood? Vegetables? Red sauce or bechamel? What kind of cheese? The possibilities are endless. This lasagna happens to be vegetarian (thanks to a good friend who don’t eat no meat) with alternating layers of roasted carrots, Swiss chard, and a tangy, lemony béchamel. Each layer is cooked in some way before it gets baked into the final product - hence all the steps. They are, however, not without good reason, I promise! Every step has to intensify flavor, improve texture, or otherwise contribute something significant. In this spirit, spring for fancy cheese and organic produce. Ingredients are everything when it comes to lasagna. Make sure it’s something you would eat by itself. Each layer should taste fabulous on its own.
Assemble the ingredients (and your friends) to build the lasagna.
Use a 3-inch deep 13x9 baking dish and start with a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of pasta, then carrots, more sauce, and a sprinkling of grated sharp cheese. Alternating carrots and greens, repeat the sequence until everything is used. Finish with grated cheese, salt, and black pepper. The lasagna gets baked in a 350º F oven for one hour. Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. The anticipation is unbearable. Use a very sharp knife and a sturdy, but flexible metal spatula to remove the lasagna from the pan. Go slowly, and remember the first piece is always the most difficult!
