RAVIOLI LASAGNA

In order to make all of the recipes I've bookmarked from the incredible blogs I visit on a daily basis, I would have to live to be at least 150 years old...I'm just saying. Add those "must makes" to the recipes torn from magazines and newspapers and to those I've flagged in my ever-expanding cookbook collection and we might be talking 175.

I've seen recipes for lasagna made from pierogi and ravioli before, but none of them had been recommended by a reliable source or foodie friend. And then along came George of A Nod Is As Good As a Wink to a Blind Horse. When I read George's post about this dish and saw a picture of the result, I knew it was time to give it a try. The last time we had lasagna was Christmas and, while it was memorable, it took the better part of 3 days to make the spinach pasta, the Bolognese sauce, and the bechamel. The result was incredible and you may want to try it the next time you have company (recipe here), but if you're just in the mood for a quick and easy baked pasta that is sure to please, give this recipe a try and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Using George's recipe as a guideline, I tried to lighten the recipe a bit by making a smaller lasagna using whole wheat ravioli and part skim mozzarella. Be sure to check out George's wonderful blog. Not only does he have great recipes, but he gives a wonderful backstory to his food.

Serves 4-6
10 ww pts for 1/4 serving
1 (20 oz) pkg. whole wheat chicken and prosciutto ravioli (I used 4/5 of the package)
1 - 26 oz jar quality pasta sauce
1 pkg. shredded part skim mozzarella
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese


In a large pot, set 6 quarts of salted water on to boil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the cheeses and the minced parsley and set aside.

Cook the ravioli according to package directions; drain and rinse.

To assemble: Coat an 8X8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and spoon a little sauce in the bottom. Place a single layer of ravioli in the pan, overlapping slightly; then top with a third of the remaining sauce and a third of the cheese/parsley mix. Repeat the ravioli/sauce/cheese layers, adding some additional grated cheese to the top layer, if you wish.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
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TASTE NOTES
The ravioli that I used were on the small side so they were difficult to overlap. I think the slice of lasagna would have held together better had I used larger ravioli. That said, we enjoyed our quick and easy lasagna very much. I am not a fan of ricotta cheese, so the mozzarella and grated cheese in between layers was very welcome. I used a jarred sauce and didn't add meat to my sauce as George did simply because I had chicken and prosciutto in the ravioli, but you could really tailor this dish to your own tastes. The recipe is definitely a keeper and I know this would go well at a covered dish affair.