Lasagna with Homemade Lasagna Noodles

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When I was a kid, lasagna was this mystical dish that the cartoon character Garfield devoured with so much pleasure and excitement, so to the young me lasagna was the dish of the happy, joyful creatures of the world.

The very first time I had lasagna in my life was in December of 2000. This was the very same year in which I arrived in the United States, and the first of many years to be away from my family for Christmas. That year, a warm-hearted American family (who soon after became my American family) invited me to celebrate Christmas Eve with them, and to my surprise and dismay they served homemade lasagna with a salad at the Christmas Eve dinner.  

Reading, you might be wondering what is so strange about having lasagna for dinner on Christmas Eve. You see, growing up our Bulgarian customs were to have vegan food for Christmas Eve dinner. And in fact there were some very specific traditions about it. For example: the number of dishes is to be an odd number, and some staple Bulgarian dishes have to be present – like: bean stew, rolled cabbage leaves, and fortune bread. For some unknown to this day reason, my child head believed that if I don’t honor Jesus’s birth and don’t eat vegan food I will be punished by the Gods. Don’t ask me which Gods since I made up the whole story. One could think that perhaps my family was religious, but in fact my family was not even remotely religious, therefore I have no idea where this story came about in my head, but strangely enough I believed in it – kind of like believing in Santa, until you don’t.

So here I was, sitting in a beautiful American home, surrounded by a loving group of people with a meat lasagna in front of me for Christmas Eve dinner. 

I had to eat it. I couldn’t let down the most wonderful family who took a barely-speaking English young woman under their arm, and made her part of their family for Christmas. I was going to deal with the Gods later. And, to be honest, I was hoping that the Gods in America were different than in Bulgaria, and their will was that people had to eat meat Lasagna for Christmas dinner in order not to be punished by them.

The lasagna was amazing! The dinner was amazing! And in fact, it was one of the most memorable Christmas dinners in my life. However, the entire time I ate the lasagna my head was going through probable scenarios of me being punished by the Gods later. Some of the stories swirling in my head were around me getting in a car accident after leaving dinner. Or that my plane going back home would crash. All imaginary scenarios were very dramatic, and included very sudden and super deserved (as far as I was concerned) death.

On my way home from dinner, I kept waiting for my car to explode, or to be hit by a deer, but nope – I came home in one piece, my car and I were ok. Traveling back to Bulgaria a few days later, to my dismay the plane didn’t crash either. In fact nothing even remotely bad happened to me in the days and months following the Christmas dinner. Relieved by the outcome, I promised to my twenty-something years old self, that I will definitely eat lasagna for Christmas Eve dinner again someday. 

So here I was, exactly 20 years later and during another year where old habits and traditions were being tested and broken by another huge life change – the virus. It was Christmas time, and I found myself remembering the lasagna story. It was then when I decided to have lasagna for Christmas again, as a tribute and a symbol of opening the door to a wonderful, and unexpected new traditions. 

While rolling the lasagna sheets I was giggling to myself and thinking “Life is giving me the same unexpected gift for a second time in my life.” As one door closed, another one opened, and it gave me the chance to experience life in a new way.  

About the recipe:

Lasagna with homemade lasagna sheets sounds impossible to make at home and waaaaay too complicated than it actually is. Don’t know about you, but for me the store-bought lasagna sheets seem like a real good idea until it’s time to dig-in and enjoy the final result of my hard labor. This is what usually happens to me: I put my fork into the mound of cheesy goodness and sauce, and all the saucy yumminess slides off to the side, leaving a massive amount of hot dough on my fork. Nope. Not a fan.

To me, the whole idea of lasagna is that the lasagna sheets have to hold the saucy, cheesy goodness together. But with most store-bought sheets usually the opposite happens. After many years of using the store stuff, getting excited, and then frustrated, I thought “what’s the point?” and I gave up on making lasagna at home ...until last year when I decided to make my own pasta sheets (eggs, salt, flour—that’s it!). I was freaking out at first, but my first attempt tasted so good, and I got hooked up and never looked back. 

Unlike the store-bought lasagna sheets the homemade ones act like a sponge to the sauces and cheese, binding everything together for a perfect bite of silky dough and saucy goodness. The other nice part of making your own lasagna sheets is that you can make them the size of your pan, or cut them in strips like the store-bought ones, or make the sheets as thin or thick as you like. Added bonus — you don’t even have to boil the homemade lasagna sheets. Some people do, but I didn’t find any difference in taste, just more work (try fetching those soft, boiled sheets out of the hot water without tearing them apart—no, thank you!). 

If I got your curiosity and excited to make lasagna again, yay! Now, roll up your sleeves, pour yourself a glass of wine, and let’s make lasagna!

Lasagna with Homemade Lasagna Noodles

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

Homemade Lasagna Noodles
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
• 1 tbsp semolina flour (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 3 egg yolk
• 1 whole egg

Filling
• 1 can (28oz) whole tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, mashed
• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 2.5 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1.5 cups + 1 cup (for topping) shredded Mozzarella = 2.5 cups
• 1 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) freshly shredded Parmesan = 1.3/4 cups
• 1 egg
• 1/5 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley + more for topping
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Equipment
• Long rolling pin, or a Pasta Roller
• 8x12 or 9x13 baking pan
• Ruler

Directions:

To make the Pasta Dough: Follow my recipe from this blog post.

Make the dough per directions, form a ball, wrap in a plastic wrap and let it rest for 30min on the counter.

To make Lasagna filling:

1. While the dough is resting, place the canned whole tomatoes in a food processor and pulse a few times. The mixture should become slightly rough but without large tomato chunks. Set aside for later.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add some olive oil, onion and garlic, and sauté until soft and translucent (be careful not to burn the garlic as the flavor will become unpleasant). Place cooked onion and garlic in a bowl and set aside for later. Return the empty pan back to the stove and add the ground beef (work in 2 batches if necessary) brown and cook the meat thoroughly. Place the cooked meat on a paper towel to absorb some of the excess fat. Remove any fat from the pan, return the cooked ground beef back to the pan, and add the cooked onion and garlic, the tomatoes plus some salt and pepper. Mix well and simmer without a lid for 15-20 minutes by stirring from time to time, until the mixture is slightly thicker. Remove from heat, taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Set aside to cool.

3. While the beef mixture is simmering, in a large bowl combine the ricotta, the 1.5 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 cup shredded Parmesan, parsley, thyme, the egg and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Mix well and set the bowl aside.

To make the Lasagna Sheets:

Have your pan nearby for size reference. Cut the dough in 3 and form 3 balls. Cover 2 of them with a plastic wrap and set aside. Lightly flour your surface, working 1 ball at the time and roll out the dough to the size of your pan. Oval shapes, not perfect rectangles, or slightly small or large lasagna sheets are totally fine. If you are using a pasta machine instead of a rolling pin, roll the dough as wide as possible and make the sheets a bit longer, so you can cut a piece to fill the empty spots in the pan. But if possible, roll the sheet as close to the size of the pan since that will make the spreading of the filling easier for you. Place the rolled out lasagna sheet on a parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and place the rolled out sheets on top of each other separated by parchment paper.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Spread 1 cup of meat and tomato mixture on the bottom of your pan. Place one lasagna sheet on top. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the lasagna sheet, using a spoon. Follow with 1 cup of the meat and tomato sauce and spread well over the cheese mixture. Repeat the process with the remaining lasagna noodles. Your top layer should be a layer of meat and tomato sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1cup of shredded Mozzarella and 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 45-50 min, or until fragrant and bubbly. Remove the foil and place lasagna back in the oven for additional 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned. 

Remove from oven and let rest for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley if desired. Cut and serve until still warm. 

Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Herbs / Кюфтета от Тиквички

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Zucchinis are one of these vegetables that either you are excited about, or you really don’t know what on earth to do with them (except frying them like the Greeks, grilling them, or the popular in the recent years zucchini noodles). My zucchini sorry is one of success. Of turning I don’t care to love! 

As a kid, I fell in the first category for many, many years, until one day my mom made zucchini fritters, and then all the sudden I got really excited about eating zucchinis in the summer. Fast forward to a few years ago, I discovered the joy of raw zucchini by making a salad of them with mustard vinaigrette, goat cheese and mint ( recipe here). And most recently, adding zucchinis to romanesco in the fall for a silky, and very dreamy cream soup (recipe here). 

Throughout the years I discovered that zucchini, at least to me, needs some gentle help from other bright ingredients to taste more like itself. And nowadays I think of the humble zucchini an empty canvas to the abundance of spices, herbs and other ingredients out there. 

And this brings me to the zucchini fritters recipe of today’s story. These little babies could either be super delicious, or very disappointing – especially when tasting bland, and after all the peeling and grating they fall apart when attempting to flip them in the frying pan. So what is the secret to a really good zucchini fritters? One part of the secret is that they need to have an abundance of flavor – think spices, herbs, even chicken (per my mom’s recommendation). And the other secret, is that you have to squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini so those cute patties don’t fall apart in the pan the moment you try to flip them. 

So onto my own recipe. What is so special about it? Well, it is not that revolutionary when you compare it to the sea of zucchini fritters recipes out there. But, if you ask me what I love about it, I would tell you that this recipe on one level incorporates the abundance of the summer season. It has fragrant mint and dill, and a lovely side of cherry heirloom tomatoes and diced cucumber, which adds freshness, a bit of acid to balance, and crunchiness when enjoyed all together. The other part about this recipe that I love, is that it brings me back to my childhood, to Bulgaria where we enjoy fried zucchini and zucchini fritters with dill and garlic yogurt. It reminds me of summer and of home. It’s an escape during this crazy year of 2020 when I can’t go travel back home to smell the air, walk in the streets of Sofia and eat all the food that fills my heart with joy. 

So cook my friends! Cook anything that fills your heart with joy, and what helps you stay connected to the good things in life. Connected to all the love, friends, family and fuzzy creatures out there. Until next time ❤

Oh, and if you make this recipe don’t forget to let me know what you think!

Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Herbs

Makes about 15 small fritters (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

Fritters
• 5-6 small zucchini
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
• 3/4 cup crumbled French or Israeli Feta*
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• Black pepper
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive (or sunflower) oil for frying

Lemony, garlic yogurt
• 1 cup of full-fat Greek or Icelandic yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Tomato and cucumber garnish
• 16-20 heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and diced
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Directions:

To make the fritters:

1. Peel the zucchini and grate them on the large wholes of a box grater (yields about 2-2.5 cups of shreds). Place grated zucchini in a large mixing bowl, add the sea salt and mix really well using your hands until the zucchini start feeling wet to the touch. Leave for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to release.

2. Line a bowl with a cheese cloth, flour sack or a cotton kitchen towel, leaving the edges of the cloth to hang to the sides of the bowl. Place a handful of shredded zucchini in the center of the cloth (don’t be tempted to add more shreds as it will be difficult to squeeze the liquid out.) Twist the cloth and squeeze as much liquid as possible. Place the squeezed shreds in a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the rest of the wet zucchini shreds. Add the rest of the fritters ingredients (except the oil) to the mixing bowl with the squeezed zucchinis, mix really well using your hands. Add more salt if needed.

3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of mixture to your hands and flatten slightly to create a patty (about 3” diameter). Place in the hot pan with oil. Repeat and cook, in batches, for 2–3 minutes each side or until golden. You might have to add additional 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan between batches. 

4. Place fritters on a large plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.

To make the yogurt sauce:
Place yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice and zest in a bowl, mix well. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

To make the tomato salad garnish:
Cut the tomatoes in half and place in a bowl. Add a splash of olive oil and salt to taste. Toss to mix.

To assemble:
Divide the yogurt sauce between 4 plates (or shallow pasta bowls). Using the back of a spoon, spread the yogurt on one side of each plate. Place 3-4 fritters on top of yogurt. Spoon the tomato salad on the other side of the fritters, follow with the diced cucumber. Sprinkle with black pepper, chopped mint and dill (optional.)  Enjoy!

* Lets talk feta cheese! The crumbled, packaged, domestic stuff from the grocery store will overpower this dish (unless you absolutely love that type of pungent, salty feta). French and Israeli feta are far more mild, buttery and creamy. The bonus of French and Israeli feta is that they come in a big block and you can slice them or crumble them to whatever size you want. And, you will have some leftover cheese which is so good on an open-face grilled feta sandwich with asparagus and mint :)

How to make homemade pasta without pasta maker

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This pasta recipe is my all-time favorite. I have made it so many times over the years and its my go-to every time. Occasionally, I’ll try a new pasta recipe version – with less eggs, with only whole eggs, adding olive oil, adding lots of water – you name it, and I keep coming time after time to this one. It is a simple recipe containing only eggs and flour. I discovered its original version watching a Julia’s Child episode of ‘In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs’ with Jimmy Sneed where he was so charming, showing Julia how to make pasta telling her that everyone can make a pasta, even a child can do it!  At the time I watched the episode for a first time, I had never made pasta before in my life. I was super intimidated by pasta making, thinking of it as this big, scary, fancy thing requiring years of special chef training, also that I must an Italian grandma, or at the very least must be living in Italy, breathing Italian air, and eating only double 00 flour in order to be able to make a good pasta. I don’t know about you, but growing up my mom only bought packaged dry pasta and the woman was a fabulous home-chef, baking bread and cooking cow’s tongue, but she never made pasta, so I never thought that could I possibly do it myself.  My other mental obstacle (yes, it’s always the head, isn’t it?) was that for years I believed that pasta can’t be made without a pasta roller/machine. And I thought to myself  “I can buy one, but what if I suck at pasta making and then I just blew $80 bucks and have a gadget that I can’t use for anything else! ” That is why that episode of Julia Child and Jimmy Sneed was so revolutionary for me – a turning point in my beliefs about pasta, challenging all of them. And the whole owning a pasta rolling machine, I got over that thought after having the realization that Italian grandmas have made pasta for years and years, far before the pasta machine became available, so if they can do it I can do it too. As a famous slogan goes: Just do it :) so, I put my apron on and I did it, and fresh pasta has become one of my favorite things to cook.

About the pasta dough: the original recipe called for half all-purpose flour and half semolina flour. The large quantity of semolina makes for a denser pasta and I personally prefer a soft pasta that is strong enough to hold ravioli filling, or thin noodles without falling apart. I also found that adding more semolina makes for a very hard dough to roll, mainly due to the high yolk content. So over the years I perfected the pasta consistency to what I like – a firm textured pasta, yet silky and very flavorful. In the recipe I call for mostly all-purpose flour and only a tablespoon of semolina in the dough. Additional semolina is used for the already made noodles as they are being tossed in the semolina, preventing them from sticking together. If you are a beginner at pasta making don’t despair if it doesn’t turn right the very first time, and don’t be an overachiever starting with ravioli, try an easy to cut pappardelle. And if you have a hard time rolling this eggy dough. Start over, or try a different recipe like this one.

How to make homemade pasta without pasta maker

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
• 1 tbsp semolina flour (plus more for preventing pasta form sticking together)
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 3 egg yolks*
• 1 whole egg

*Wondering what to do with those 3 leftover egg whites? Make some meringues. They are so silky and wonderful to snack on, or crumble them over your favorite ice cream

Directions:

1. Start with 3/4 cup all-purpose flour as the size of egg yolks vary. On a clean work surface or  a mixing bowl place flour, semolina and salt. Make a well in the center and add egg yolks and the egg. Starting from the center using a fork (easier to clean up and work with) or your fingers start by mixing the eggs together, working outward from the center of well, gradually incorporate flour mixture into egg mixture until a irregular dough forms. If using your hands and they are sticky, remove as much dough from them and wash hands before kneading the dough otherwise you will find it difficult to work. If the dough seems sticky add the remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough becomes stiff add 1 tablespoon of water, but only enough to keep the dough together.

2. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until dough is smooth and springs back when pressed with a finger, 8 to 10 minutes. While kneading, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too dry; or add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough feels too sticky.

3. Shape dough in a ball, wrap it in a plastic wrap. Let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out the pasta: cut the dough in half. Roll out one half at a time, keeping the rest of the dough wrapped. Very lightly flour the work surface. Shape the dough into a ball. Press dough down so it flattens like a disk. Start rolling by placing your rolling pin in the center of the disk and roll away from you and then back towards you to even out the dough thickness. Lift up the dough and turn it 90 degrees, roll in the same manner described. With each pass as you roll, lift the dough up, re-dust the counter beneath if needed, and turn it over. Keep rolling and stretching until the pasta is thin enough to see the color of your hand or its print through it. 

   For pappardelle: flour the dough really well, roll it and cut strips as wide as you prefer. When done cutting, loosen up the ribbon-like strips and toss them generously with semolina. Place in an airtight container until ready to boil. 

   For ravioli: see my next post. 

5. Repeat with the remaining dough. 

   To cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Shake off the extra semolina and add the pasta handful by handful to the water, gently stir, lower the heat to a medium-high and cook for 5 minutes. Taste a noodle to check if it is done to your desired firmness.