Collard Green Lasagna Recipes

LASAGNA WITH COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Steam the collard greens for 5 minutes above an inch of boiling water, or blanch in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2- or 3-quart rectangular baking dish with olive oil. Spread a small amount of tomato sauce over the bottom and top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with a thin layer of ricotta. Lay collard green leaves over the ricotta in a single layer. Top the leaves with a layer of tomato sauce, followed by a thin layer of Parmesan.
• Set aside enough tomato sauce and Parmesan to top the lasagna and repeat the layers until all of the ingredients are used up. Spread the tomato sauce you set aside over the top, and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Make sure the noodles are covered, and cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
• Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Check to be sure that the noodles are soft and the mixture is bubbly. Return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes if desired, to brown the top. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

SMOKED SAUSAGE, PUMPKIN, AND COLLARD GREENS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cook lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and transfer noodles to a baking pan. Toss the noodles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion, reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add collard greens and cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until wilted and liquid has evaporated. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, pumpkin puree, heavy cream, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. In another bowl, stir together remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, ricotta, eggs, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, and 1 cup fontina.
• Coat a 9x13-inch (3-quart) broiler-proof baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 cup of the pumpkin mixture into the dish; spread in an even layer. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over pumpkin mixture, overlapping slightly. Spread 1/2 of the remaining pumpkin mixture over the noodles in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the sausage mixture and another layer of 3 to 4 noodles. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering with noodles, remaining pumpkin mixture, remaining sausage mixture, another layer of noodles, and remaining ricotta mixture.
• Cover lasagna with foil and bake until bubbly around the edges and thoroughly heated in the center, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1 cup fontina on top of the lasagna and broil about 4 inches from heat source until browned, about 4 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

GREEN PASTA (FOR LASAGNA)

Steps:

• Wash spinach several times in changes of water until grit free. Cook, covered in just the water that clings to the leaves, until it is tender. Cool and squeeze dry. Mince finely and squeeze dry again. Set flour and salt in food processor and process to combine. Add eggs, oil and spinach and process until combined and begins to form a ball. Add more water, a teaspoon at a time, if dough is too dry. Process 30 seconds. Remove dough from the processor and let it rest, covered with an inverted bowl at room temperature for 1 hour. Set the smooth rollers of a pasta machine at the widest setting. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Flatten 1 piece into a rectangle and cover remaining pieces with an inverted bowl. Dust rectangle with flour and feed it through rollers. Fold rectangle in half, dusting lightly with flour, and feed it through rollers 6 to 8 more times to knead. Fold in half each time and dust with flour, if necessary, so dough does not stick to roller. Turn dial down one notch and feed the dough through the rollers without folding. Turn the dial lower one notch each time until the second to last notch is reached.