Caprese Lasagna Roll Ups
loaded with Mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
- 14 oz freshly shredded, low-moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese, divided
- 8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 1 cup marinara sauce, recipe follows
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
- 3 to 4 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/6 inch thick slices)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup freshly, finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/4 oz)
- 1 large egg white
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Rolls
Simple Marinara Sauce
Instructions
- Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. Align 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Align lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). Sprinkle top with remaining 2 oz. shredded Mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven, plate pasta and garnish with plenty of basil ribbons. Serve warm.
- For filling, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Mix in 12 oz. of the Mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper to taste (I wouldn't recommend seasoning with salt just because the cheeses already have plenty of salt).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package to al dente. Drain pasta (DO NOT rinse with water) and align lasagna noodles in a single layer on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.
- Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions to hot oil and saute about 3 minutes until soft, adding garlic during last minute of sautéing. Pour in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow sauce to cook for about 25 - 30 minutes (which will allow some of the water in crushed tomatoes to evaporate) while you prepare pasta and lasagna filling (you can freeze or refrigerate left over sauce in a small airtight container for later use, adding fresh basil if desired).