Description
A delicious and unique vegetarian dish featuring layers of patty pan squash, lasagna noodles, and a creamy ricotta filling, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium Patty pan squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 6 sheets oven ready Lasagna noodles
- 2 cups Marinara sauce
- 1 cup Ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped Fresh basil (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the patty pan squash into thin uneven rounds so every piece has a slightly different shape. Toss the slices with olive oil and part of the salt and pepper until the yellow and pale green pieces look lightly glossy and casually overlapped.
- Combine ricotta with egg, garlic, basil, and Italian seasoning until the mixture changes from plain cheese into a speckled creamy filling. The texture should look thick and slightly uneven with green basil bits and small garlic pieces showing through the white ricotta.
- Spread tomato sauce into the baking dish, then add lasagna noodles and patty pan squash and spoonfuls of ricotta so the flat ingredients become stacked layers. The sauce should peek between the noodles while the squash rounds overlap loosely and the ricotta sits in uneven creamy patches.
- Scatter mozzarella and Parmesan over the assembled layers until the surface changes into a pale cheesy top. The cheese should not look perfectly even because some tomato sauce and squash edges need to remain visible around the sides.
- Bake until the noodles soften and the squash turns tender and the cheese melts into golden uneven patches. The edges should bubble with tomato sauce while the top has browned spots and small craters where cheese settled into the layers.
- Cut one portion from the bake and transfer it to a plate so the inside layers show clearly. The slice should reveal soft squash and noodles, tomato sauce, and creamy ricotta with melted cheese pulling slightly and basil scattered on top.
Notes
- For a more herby flavor, consider adding extra herbs to the ricotta mixture.
- This dish pairs well with a side salad for a complete meal.
- Leftover lasagna can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 70mg