This Lasagna recipe can also be cooked in the Oven, but this was made in my IP 8q DuoCrisp+Air Fryer using a 7”x 3” leak proof Spring form pan. I also use my food processor to process the cottage cheese filling but you can use a blender or just use Ricotta in place of 1 c of the Cottage Cheese. (See Pics below).
[If you choose to use a Casserole dish and the oven …..choose an 8×8” dish, and bake in the Oven at 350° for about 30 min (you will have to add the cheese first to the top and bake uncovered).]
1/2 lb Sausage.
1/2 lb Hamburger.
2 Summer squash or 1 Zucchini and 1 yellow Summer Squash sliced about 1/8- 1/16” thin lengthwise. ( Your going to sort of “Blanch” the slices…see below.).
1 1/2 c Cottage Cheese 4% (You will use a food processor to blend) or you can use 1 c Ricotta and 1/2 c Cottage Cheese.
1 handful fresh Basil chopped (about 1/2 c chopped).
1 c finely chopped Sweet Onion.
1 1/2 c Chopped Sweet Tomatoes like Campari or Cherry type.
4 cloves Garlic finely minced and divided.
1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning.
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 c Parmesean cheese.
2 1/2-3 c freshly grated Mozzerella cheese….or very thinly sliced. Fresh is important because pre packaged Grated has an anti caking agent added to it which causes it not to melt well.
6 cups Fresh Spinach, cooked down and squeezed out into small baseball sized ball. (See pic below.) You can also use 1/2 package of frozen but thawed Spinach just squeezed out well.
1 Tbsp Evoo.
10 Spaghetti Noodles Broken in half… or a few 2-3” long fat pasta (see pic) to place around the edges to absorb the excess liquid that the squash will create. I had fat noodles so I just used 4 of those large Twisted Casarecce or type so If you have them.
Blanch the Zucchini:
Blanch in water, and pat dry…..OR use an Instant Pot with 1 c water in the pot and a lotus steamer…stagger the slices to steam evenly. Set time to 0 min. QR. Remove the Pot from the Base after they are done. Set aside to cool so that they will be handleable. (See pic below)
Spritz, the Spring form Pan mentioned above, Set aside.
Meat Filling:
In a Medium sized Frying Pan set to medium, add the EVOO and sauté the Hamburger and Sausage until almost done. Remove from heat and drain the meat well. Return the pan to the heat and add the Onion and half the Garlic. Stir and cook Onions until translucent. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Add the Italian seasoning, then the Tomatoes , Stir to cook them a bit….add the Basil and half of the Spinach. (You have to break it apart because of the compaction from squeezing it out). Stir the Spinach in and set Meat filling Aside to cool slightly as you mix the Cheese filling.
Cheese/Spinach filling:
Add the Cottage Cheese to the Food Processor and Process until smooth. Stop. Add the eggs, Parmesan, The other half of the Spinach, Basil, and 1/4 tsp Salt and 1/2 tsp Pepper and the other half of the Garlic. Process until the Spinach and Eggs are evenly blended, don’t over process. Remove the blade and get a Soup Spoon to scoop it out.
Assemble the Lasagna:
Important to note that alternating directions in the layers of the Squash will prevent it from falling apart when cooked and served, so as you make one layer, remember to turn the whole Pan 1/4 turn to the right before you apply the next layer of Squash Strips down. Your doing this so that all the Strips are NOT all running the same way. It gives the finished Lasagna stability to stand on its own.
Make a layer of Squash on the bottom of the pan. Spoon a 1/4” layer of the Cheese/Spinach filling. (This first step is important because the cheese filling will act like the glue to hold the Squash slices to the rest. ). Next, sprinkle about 1/3 of the grated Mozzerella On top of Cheese/Spinach filling. Next, add an even layer of the 1/3 of the Meat filling.
For the next layer, turn the pan 1/4 and do another layer of the Squash, then add MEAT filling, then Cheese/Spinach filling, then 1/3 of Mozzerella. Next, turn the pan again and add another layer of the Squash, Meat filling, Cheese/Spinach filling. ? STOP. Don’t add cheese yet. Save it for after it’s done cooking. At this point you are going to use this trick….push the broken pasta into four places between the sides of the pan and the lasagna to absorb excess liquid. Use 5 broken noodles bunched together in each of 4 spots around the edges. See pic.
See the pic below. Cover with either aluminum foil or a stainless steel lid or even a pot lid, (see pic below) I used a steamer lid with a paper towel on top.
Make sure that there is the recommended amount of water in the IP.
Using a long handled trivet, lower Lasagna into the pot.
Set the Time to 25 min. NPR 20 min. Turn the Pot off, uncover the Lasagna and Sprinkle the remaining Cheese on top. Switch lids and use the Air Fry lid and set the time to 10 min At 400°. After 5 min, lift the lid and carefully turn the Lasagna to allow it to brown evenly. Check again after 4 min, it may be done. Some pots cook differently, and the 8 cooks a little differently than the 6 does.
When the Lasagna is done, Very carefully lift it out of the pot and set on a Jelly roll pan or plate to catch the excess liquid that will come out when you release the Collar of the Spring form. Take a couple paper towels or napkins and set them on the lower edges to sop it up. Let it set for about 2-3min, and then loosen the spring form collar from the bottom. DO NOT lift it off yet, your just going to release the liquid and let it settle for a couple of minutes more it will release about 1/4 c liquid…let the liquid absorb into the paper towels and then toss them. Run a butter knife or spatula blade around the edges to free the Lasagna from the Collar of the pan.
Carefully Slice Lasagna while still inside the Pan, This will keep it together, then carefully lift the Collar off and serve up.
*If you used a Casserole pan in the oven just cut and serve from the Casserole.
Hubby says this one scores a 9.5 out of a 10, and the only reason it didn’t get a 10 , was because he couldn’t eat it all as in all of it…The whole pan.?????♀️?