Recipe Review: Roasted Roma Tomato Lasagna

We are a lasagna lovin' family.  I have a recipe that I have used for at least six years that my family loves.  Several of my kids ask for as their birthday meal.  I love this recipe, but it's a lot of work.  When I saw Martha make this version of a meatless lasagna, I knew that I had to try it.  First off, the roasted Roma tomatoes are amazing!  I shared this recipe last week because it is so good!  Second, the lasagna is unusual because it is made with a bechamel sauce. I tweaked the original recipe just a bit for my family tastes. 

The family verdict?  Loved it!  They didn't seem to miss the meat or red sauce.  This is definitely a keeper that I will make often.

Enjoy!

Roasted Roma Tomato Lasagna
(adapted from the original recipe by Zahra Tangorra)
{print}

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound dried lasagna noodles 
8 cups Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)
6 cups Roasted Roma Tomatoes, and their juices
2 cups ricotta cheese
4 cups grated pecorino cheese
2 cups fresh spinach


Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and place a single layer of lasagna noodles in the dish. Pour 2 cups bechamel evenly over pasta; top with 2 cups of the roasted tomatoes in their juices, one third of the ricotta, 1 cup pecorino, and one third of the basil. Repeat process twice and top with remaining lasagna noodles. Top with remaining 2 cups bechamel and 1 cup pecorino.   Cover baking dish with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Place baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven; bake for 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until lasagna noodles are tender, about 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand 30 to 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

Bechamel Sauce
(recipe by Zahra Tangorra)

Ingredients
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 cups milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg


Directions
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, salt, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes before using.

Makes about 8 cups.


Linked To:
 * Balancing Beauty and Bedlam:  Tasty Tuesday 
 * Simply Sugar & Gluten Free:  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
 * Not So Homemade:  What's Cooking Wednesday
 * It's A Blog Party:  Delicious Dishes
 * Dining with Debbie:  What's on the Menu Wednesday
 * It's a Keeper:  It's a Keeper Thursday
 * Paisley Passions:  Thrilling Thursday
 * Miz Helen's Country Cottage:  Full Plate Thursday
 * Prairie Story:  Recipe Swap Thursday
 * Simply Sweet Home:  Friday Favorites
 * Crazy Domestic:  All Things Domestic
 * Life as Mom:  Ultimate Recipe Swap
 * Mommy's Kitchen:  Potluck Sunday
 * My Sweet and Savory:  Meatless Mondays
 * Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy:  Hearth and Soul
 * Six Sister's Stuff: Strut Your Stuff Saturday