Lasagna Rolls

I found the recipe here and thought I'd try these lovely little lasagna rolls. It wasn't any easier or less time consuming to make than the standard layered lasagna but it was definitely just as tasty and worth the extra steps to make cute little roll-ups. I thought they were really yummers!

Little roll-ups buried under marinara and mozzarella.

Oooohhhhhhh......

WOW...DELISH!

Lasagna Rolls

The sauce recipe below has already been doubled due to comments on the original foodie blogs.

bechamel sauce:

• 4 tbs butter
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 1/3 c milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

directions:

1. Melt butter in heavy, medium saucepan over med-low heat. 
2. Add flour and whisk for 3 minutes. 
3. Whisk in the milk and increase heat to med-high. 
4. Whisk sauce till it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth (approx 3 mins). 
5. Whisk salt and pepper in the bechamel sauce.

lasagna:

• 1- 15 oz container ricotta cheese
• 2- 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I prefer fresh)
• 1/2 c grated parmesan, plus 2 tbs set aside for topping
• 2 c cooked Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1/4 c sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for boiling water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4-8 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 2-3 c marinara sauce
• 1 c mozzarella, shredded
• crushed red pepper to taste

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Mix ricotta, spinach, parmesan, sausage, sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper and garlic in large bowl. Mix well.
3. Add 1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil to large pot of boiling, salted water. Boil noodles ~12 mins till al dente. Drain and arrange noodles in single layer on baking sheet to prevent from sticking.
4. Butter 9x13" glass baking dish and pour bechamel sauce in prepared dish. 
5. Spread 4-5 tbs ricotta mixture evenly over ENTIRE noodle. 
6. Start at one end and roll evenly like jelly roll.
7. Lay lasagna roll seam side down, without touching, on top of bechamel sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.
8. Spread marinara sauce over lasagna rolls. 
9. Sprinkle mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan over lasagna rolls. 
10. Cover tightly with foil. 
11. Bake until heated through and sauce bubbles (about 20 minutes). 
12. Uncover and bake until cheese on top becomes golden (15 minutes longer). 
13. Let stand for 10 minutes.  

Note: Serve with Italian Wedding Soup, bread, salad and/or additional veggies.


Source: Adapted from Daily Deliciousness, originally from Giada De Laurentiis.