Ravioli Lasagne?



Can you make up your mind? What is it? a Lasagne or Ravioli?
It's both, so relax.

If you have noticed over the last 3 years, I spell the word LASAGNE the Italian way, with an E at the end (instead of Lasagna). That's just me, so please don't think I'm a bad speller.

This is a funny dish, but it works.

I layered frozen spinach & ricotta with frozen large raviolis, layering mozzarella cheese and sauce in between. Bake it and it becomes a lasagne without all the work!

Because you are using frozen raviolis, this is the perfect dish to assemble ahead of time.

I am not usually a short cut kind of girl, but this is a cute recipe, and I liked the concept.

I found it in an old Real Simple magazine, whose recipes are hit or miss. I tailored it a bit, because the measurements just didn't seem right, and I added the ricotta and egg, cause what's a lasagne without the REEGAWT! (that translates to "ricotta" in Jersey).

Baked Ravioli Lasagne:

24 frozen cheese or meat ravioli, square or round
2 cups of tomato sauce
16 oz. container of ricotta cheese
10 oz. package of frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed of all moisture
1 egg
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

I used an 8 x 10 enamel casserole dish, but any square or glass rectangle baking dish will do.

Mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan cheese, spinach, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.

Layer half the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and place 12 frozen ravioli on top.
Spoon some more tomato sauce over the raviolis.



Next, spoon a few dollops of the spinach ricotta mixture over the raviolis.
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top and repeat with another layer of ravioli, sauce, ricotta, ending with mozzarella.



Place lasagne on a baking sheet (or it will drip all over your oven floor) and bake, covered with foil sprayed w/ nonstick spray for 40 minutes at 375F. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is browning. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!



Comments

Linda said…
Ok now that is cute!
I am going to try this. I've seen it before and it sounds much easier than making regular lasagna!
mil said…
You "posted" (pun intended) no warning about the damage to one's oven from baking your luscious lasagne.
Mil
lisa is cooking said…
I love this idea! I saw a similar baked dish in Donna Hay mag a few months, but tortellini were used. Your ravioli look plump and delicious!
Karen said…
Those are some big ravioli(s?) This sounds good - and easy!
Anonymous said…
i agree with real simple recipes being hit or miss! mmm this looks good. i HATE making lasagna but love eating it so this is a perfect substitute!

rain
Claudia said…
I am liking this for the weekday. My grandmother said "ree-goot" and she was from the old country. of course, she spoke dialect...
kat said…
What a clever time saving idea!
yeah that stuff is good. i made this once and feel into a food coma. so worth it thou.
Oh yeah! Looks delicious. Love this idea.

You are correct to say lasagne. If you say lasagna, you are referring to just one noodle! Lasagne would be the plural of the noodles.

The irony of course is that you keep saying "raviolis" when the word "ravioli" is already plural and doesn't need the S. :-D
LynnieBNC said…
This is nifty. But I have a general question regarding SPINACH. Why use FROZEN when you can put fresh right into the recipe, don't have to squeeze it dry or anything? Fresh spinach is ALWAYS in the market, and it's sooo much tastier.
?
Shelley said…
What a great idea!! It looks absolutely delicious! :)
Dana said…
This is a really good idea. A great way to feed a crowd with hearty appetites without spending a day in the kitchen.
Culinary Cory said…
Holly cow this sounds amazing!
Anonymous said…
Hi!! I don't see the egg mentioned in the recipe however, its in the ingredient list. :) As with traditinal dishes I would just go ahead and beat it lightly and add to the ricotta mixture. (?) I am excited to try this. I don't often have a ton of time to cook after a 10 hour work day but I can easily see this happening if I strain the spinach in the collander for the day!!
Marie H Lake Par, NJ
Merut said…
Oh my goodness! It is the best of both worlds! I've been thinking about making lasagna for a long time, but you've just put me over the edge. Now I have to.
The JR said…
Kool, I like that idea.
Maria said…
I love that idea! My kids for some very odd reason won't eat lasagna the "regular" way ... I think they might eat this in a heartbeat!