Quick and Simple Springtime Skillet Lasagna with a Mediterranean Kick
Try this Quick and Simple Springtime Skillet Lasagna with a Mediterranean Kick recipe
Try this Quick and Simple Springtime Skillet Lasagna with a Mediterranean Kick recipe
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives
- 4 ounces fontina cheese shredded
- 1 bunch asparagus chopped
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas or 1 cup frozen peas
- 2-4 green onions chopped
- 1/3 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved
- 2 1/3 cups milk (i use 2%)
- 4 ounces provolone cheese shredded
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 8-10 no boil whole wheat or regular lasagna noodles broken into thirds or fourths (or noodles that have been cooked to al dente)
- 2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 12 pepperonis (optional)
- Carbohydrate 14.0315235504267 g
- Cholesterol 75.7114851307207 mg
- Fat 26.1690736407378 g
- Fiber 2.89771098687489 g
- Protein 20.7230170978661 g
- Saturated Fat 15.5354405472904 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (239g)
- Sodium 732.622392122254 mg
- Sugar 11.1338125635519 g
- Trans Fat 1.60023195366424 g
- Calories 365 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium heat (mine is 12 inches). Add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, the asparagus and sugar snap peas. Cover and allow the veggies to cook about 5-10 minutes or until tender crisp, stirring once or twice. Add the green onions, sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Cook another 3-5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the veggies out onto a plate. Set aside.
- In the same skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until the butter is lightly browned and the garlic is caramelized. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk in a steady stream. Simmer for 2 minutes, whisking. Remove from the heat, stir in fontina, provolone and mozzarella. Add the crushed red peppers and season with salt and pepper.
- Now add the noodles and veggies to the skillet. Add the parsley and basil and carefully give the skillet a good stir, making sure everything is coated in the sauce and and in an even layer. Add the parmesan and pepperonis, if using.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Dig in!
Sun-dried tomatoes supply both concentrated umami and the cooking oil used to soften the initial round of asparagus and sugar snap peas. Using the oil packed around the tomatoes prevents the vegetables from sticking while imparting a rich, savory backdrop to the green produce.
Temperature control during the roux stage governs the entire sauce. Cooking the minced garlic in foaming butter over medium-low heat for three minutes allows the dairy solids to brown lightly without burning the allium, which would introduce bitterness into the milk and cheese mixture.
A twelve-inch oven-safe skillet is required to hold the volume of noodles, vegetables, and cheeses without overflowing. Cast iron or heavy stainless steel works well, provided the pan can transition directly from the stovetop burner into a preheated 375 degrees F oven.
Baking the assembled dish uncovered for twenty-five to thirty minutes allows the provolone, fontina, and mozzarella blend to melt fully. The top achieves a golden color while the interior starches bind with the dairy fats.
