Lasagna with Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce
Slow-roasting the tomatoes gives the tomato sauce for this lasagna recipe an intense depth of flavor—which is then enhanced by the umami in onions, Parmesan and spinach. The lasagna noodles are layered into the lasagna uncooked; the moisture from the fresh spinach cooks them perfectly as the lasagna bakes in the oven.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons dried basil, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup water
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 15- to 16-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 9 lasagna noodles (uncooked), preferably whole-wheat
- 10 ounces baby spinach