Spinach Ricotta Lasagne

Tomato Salsa Sauce

Tomatoes - 2 medium size
Chopped onion - 1 small
Garlic cloves - 3 to 4
ginger - 1/2 inch
Green chilies 2 to 3
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
olive oil - 2 tsp
salt as per taste
water 1/2 cup

In a blender/mixer add tomatoes, garlic, green chilies, ginger, garam masala and make puree.
In a cooker add olive oil , chopped onions along with salt and saute well
Add the puree and giving a good mix.
Add 1/2 cup water.
Close the cooker and keep for 3 whistles in medium flame.
Quick tomato salsa is ready.I make it little watery, you can reduce the water quantity as per your choice.Also you could add assorted grated vegetables along with the puree before keeping whistle.

Ricotta & Spinach

Chopped Spinach - 1 bunch
garlic cloves - 2 to 3
ricotta  - 1 cup
pepper powder - 2 tsp
salt as per taste

Add chopped spinach in a bowl. Make sure they are not wet or watery.
Add chopped garlic, pepper powder , salt along with ricotta cheeese.
Mix them together to form a stuffing.

Lasagna sheets - 9

Cook the lasagna sheets in boiling water with pinch of salt and oil as per cover time instructions.
If you are using bake ready lasagna skip this step.

Method : ( layering )
Preheat oven to 350 degree F
Take a baking pan and coat the bottom the pan with a layer of Tomato salsa sause.
Now place 3 lasagne sheets to cover the base.
Above that layer spinach ricotta stuffing.
Now add Parmesan or mozzarella cheese layer.

Repeat the above method 3 times for different layers.

Top it with cheese.

Cover the top with aluminium foil.
Bake it for 45 min, remove the aluminium foil and bake for 15 min for the top layer to brown.
Remove from oven and serve hot by slicing after 15 min.

Pesto sauce for pasta ( spinach sauce)

Spinach - 1 bunch

Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup ( could substitute with cream/ milk)

Walnuts - 1/4 cup ( optional )

Whole pepper - 1 tsp

Garlic - 3 to 4

Salt as per taste

Olive oil for seasoning

Pasta of you choice.

Method :-

Add spinach , cheese , walnuts,pepper, garlic ,salt in a blender / food processor and blend them together.

Add oil to pan, could sauté chopped tomatoes at this stage, if you are adding for 2 min before adding the blended mixture.

Now add the blended mixture and sauté it for 2 to 3 min.

Turn off the stove, add cooked pasta as per your choice. Look for the package for cooking instructions as each might differ in cooking time.

Top it with shredded cheese if you wish while serving. Serve while hot.

Note:-

You could increase the pepper quantity if you wish. 

You could directly add the blended mixture to the cooked pasta if you don't want to sauté it. Just add oil and blended spinach mixture to cooked pasta and serve hot.

Pasta - Indian Version

Pasta - Indian Version

                                                                        

Ingredients :-

Pasta Any variety - 2 cups
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Capsicum - 2 (chopped)
ginger garlic paste - 1 tblsp
green chillies - 2
cumin powder - 1 tsp
pepper powder - 1tsp
tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
kasthuri methi - 3 tsp (These are called Italian herbs)
salt to taste
oil - 3 tblsp (olive oil prepferably)

Method :-

1.Boil 6 cups of water in a deep pan.Add salt and 1 spoon oil to it.Now add the pasta to the boiling      water.Once the pastas are cooked drain them and keep aside.
2.Simultaneously take a non stick pan, add oil, onion and start frying.
3.Once the onion is transperant add ginger garlic paste,green chillies and saute for 2 min.
4.Add tomatoes and saute.Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 4 min in medium heat.
5.Once the tomoatoes blend nicely, add chilli powder, pepper powder, kasthuri methi, tomato ketchup and mix nicely.Cover and cook for 5 min till capsicum is cooked.
6.Finally add the cooked pasta ,fold everthing well gently for a minute.Turn off the heat.
7.Serve hot with shredded cheese at the top.

Tips:-

1.Try to cook the pasta and the sauce simultaneously so that once the pasta is cooked you can add it to the sause and mix.
2.Time taken for the pastas to cook differ from each vareity.So check for the directions in the box for their cooking time and follow accordingly.Below shown Macroni pastha takes 15 min to cook whereas the pasta in the above pic takes only 7 to 8 min.
3.Try to use olive oil while cooking pastas as it gives good flavour to the dish and healthy too.