A Perfect Feast

Lasagna Tricolore with Three Cheeses is a baked lasagna that has all the colors of the Italian flag. The green of the flag is represented by pesto sauce, the white of the flag is shown in the Parmesan cheese, and the red comes from the tomato sauce. If you like lasagna, you need to try this cool variation on the Italian classic. My family really liked choosing which part of the flag to eat, and trying all three sauces. And, the consensus was that the usual lasagna meat was not at all needed in this delicious meatless meal.

The Equipment You’ll Need

• A Deep 13 by 9 ceramic pan- Ceramic is my favorite material for pans for this lasagna, but you could also use a glass pan.
• A Food Processor- You’ll need this for making the pesto.
• A Dutch Oven- I like to simmer my tomato sauce in a Dutch oven, but you can use any pot.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Lasagna Tricolore with Three Cheeses

• Pomi Strained Tomatoes- These come in a box. You can find them with the canned tomato products. But, I like these Pomi tomatoes because they are less acidic than canned tomatoes. If you can’t find Pomi, just use a good tomato puree.
• Chicken Stock- I always use homemade stock. See the attached recipe.
• Fresh Ricotta Cheese- I prefer fresh ricotta cheese. You can find this at an Italian deli, or good supermarket.
• Pine Nuts- If you can’t find these, use walnuts.
• Mozzarella Cheese- I like the Polly-O brand.
• Olive Oil- I like the California Ranch brand, because it is not bitter.

How I Made my Lasagna

• First, I cooked the onion and garlic very slowly in the olive oil. I watched the pot closely to make sure it didn’t burn.
• Next, I added the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients, and I boiled the noodles.
• Then, it was time to layer the lasagna. I made sure I reserved tomato sauce to top the lasagna with. I also made sure I saved Parmesan to top the lasagna with when it came out of the oven.
• Finally, I baked the lasagna.
• While it baked I made the pesto. When the lasagna came out of the oven, I carefully added the pesto, reserved cheese, and reserved tomato sauce.

One of the things I love about this Lasagna Tricolore with Three Cheeses is that it only takes one hour to make from start to finish. If you like Italian food, you simply must try this innovative lasagna.

Lasagna Tricolore with Three Cheeses

A Lasagna with the colors of the Italian flag, with green pesto, white Parmesan, and red tomato sauce.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 minced onion
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 26 ounces Pomi strained tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 pound grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 tbsp. pine nuts
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

 

• In a Dutch oven, over low heat, cook the onion and garlic in the tablespoon of olive oil, until the onion is softened.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered for thirty minutes. Set aside a cup of the tomato sauce, to top the lasagna with when it comes out of the oven.
• Cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente noodles.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl mix together the ricotta and egg.
• In a deep 13×9 baking dish, lay down 4 lasagna noodles. Top them with a quarter of the tomato sauce, a quarter of the ricotta cheese, and a quarter of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat this three times. Top the lasagna with a layer of two cups of the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake the lasagna uncovered for thirty minutes.
• While the lasagna bakes, make the pesto. In a food processor, process the basil, garlic, pine nuts, the half cup of the Parmesan cheese, a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, and the olive oil. Also, warm up the reserved tomato sauce.
• When the lasagna is done, top the first third of it with pesto, top the middle with third with the remaining cup of Parmesan cheese, and spread the tomato sauce on top of the last third.

Keyword lasagna, pesto, tricolore, tricolore lasagna

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Chicken Stock

Homemade chicken stock

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8 cups

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4½ lbs. chicken breasts and wings with skin and bones
• 10 cups water
• 2 peeled onions
• 2 peeled carrots
• 3 peeled parsley roots
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 peeled parsnip
• 2 tbsp. garlic cloves
• 1 cup fresh parsley and fresh dill

Instructions

 

• Put the chicken and the salt in a large, tall pot and cover with ten cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any scum that forms.
• Add all the vegetables and herbs and simmer for two and a half hours. Pour the soup through a strainer to remove everything but the broth.

Keyword chicken soup, chicken stock, stock

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