Meatless lasagna
================ 2024-09-24


Directly inspired from: Julia Turshen's "A Nice Lasagna"

Comment: Suprisingly, this meatless lasagna tastes and looks fantatstic. The choice of the tomatoes is crucial to the taste, so make sure to get the best, preferably San Marzano tomatoes. This receipe is for a ~23 x 30 cm (9" x 12") oven dish.
It is important to properly divide the ingredient between the lasagna layers...


5 to 6 portions

Ingredients:
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2 x 800 g (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
4+ garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 dl cream (35% MF)

200+ g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
250+ g grated good (tasty) mozzarella cheese
~20 g fresh basil leaves
2 bay leaves (opt)
oregano (opt)
1 pack lasagna sheets (see comment)
EVOO
butter
S + P

Preparation:
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In a large enough pot, heat some EVOO and sweat the garlic with a pinch of salt (careful not to burn it).
When garlic gets sticky, add the tomatoes, and crush them (just a bit) with a potato masher, you want tomato chunks to remain.  Add also the bay leaves (opt).
Simmer on low heat for ~30 mn, stirring often to slightly reduce.
Add the cream and pepper, stir, and add salt as necessary, reserve off the heat.

Preheat oven to 180C [360F] (fan oven or 200C [400F] otherwise)

Butter the oven dish.

Prepare the lasagna starting with a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of pasta.
Then a thin layer of sauce, a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano, then some mozzarella, some basil a thin layer af sauce and sheets of pasta.
Repeat this process, starting with another layer of tomato sauce, until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce covered with the cheeses (no basil on top).

Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until nicely browned on top. Let rest out of the oven for ~10 to 15 mn before serving.