NEBO’s Zucchini Lasagna

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You can kill two birds with one stone with this vegetable lasagna from sister-chef duo Christine and Carla Pallotta. You’ll use up all the zucchini you’ve got kicking around from your garden or CSA and you’ll get a little taste of Nebo, which remains closed for the moment. This is the recipe that went up against Bobby Flay’s Wild Mushroom and Cauliflower Lasagna on the Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay. See if your rendition could topple a top chef and try it for yourself while you await Nebo’s triumphant return.

Details

Servings: 8

Ingredients

for the marinara sauce
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 small onion, sliced
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
  • 6 fresh basil leaves
for the fried zucchini
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 dozen eggs
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cups Romano cheese, grated
  • 3 cups canola oil (for frying)
  • 6 zucchini, sliced lengthwise about 1/4-inch thick
for the ricotta filling
  • 2 pounds ricotta cheese (homemade or Calabro)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peeper
  • 1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella, grated (for layering)
for the zucchini flowers
  • 8 zucchini flowers
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • breadcrumbs
  • canola oil (for frying)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. for the marinara sauce
  1. Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and cook until translucent.
  2. Blend the tomatoes in a food processor.
  3. With a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the oil.
  4. Add the blended tomato, salt, pepper, and basil mixture to the pan.
  5. Stir with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
for the zucchini While the sauce is simmering, fry the zucchini.
  1. Place the flour on a flat dish. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, salt, pepper, and Romano cheese with a fork.
  2. In a large frying pan, heat the canola oil.
  3. Coat the zucchini slices in flour, then dip in the egg mixture.
  4. Fry until golden brown. Remove each piece, placing on a tray lined with paper towels.
for the ricotta filing
  1. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, and Romano cheese.
to assemble and bake
  1. In a 9x13x2-inch rectangular baking dish, spread 4-ounces of marinara sauce to cover the bottom.
  2. Layer some of the fried zucchini to cover the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping the pieces.
  3. Spread 8-ounces of marinara over the zucchini.
  4. With a plastic spatula, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the marinara, and sprinkle with 3/4 cups of mozzarella.
  5. Repeat layering the zucchini, sauce, ricotta filling, and mozzarella, ending with 1 cup of mozzarella.
  6. Cover the dish in foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue to cook until the top is slightly brown. Cool the lasagna for 15 minutes.
for the zucchini flowers
  1. Rinse the zucchini flowers gently under running water. Pat dry.
  2. Dredge the zucchini flowers in the beaten egg, and then cover in breadcrumbs.
  3. Fry in canola oil until crispy.
  4. Sprinkle with salt, to taste. Place the flowers on top of the lasagna and serve.

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