Consider this recipe a lighter, more casual way to enjoy lasagna, that crowd favorite, for a summery weeknight dinner.
Rather than layering noodles with loads of ground meat, cheese, and tomato sauce (which is delicious during a snowstorm but not my favorite when it's 80° and sunny), you boil the long, wide noodles (alternatively, break them up before you boil) and toss them with a hefty dose of lemony ricotta cheese flecked with fresh mint and a load of minced chives. No need to turn on the oven.
Then comes the fun part: loading on the greens. I like to add both quickly sautéed early summer beauties (in this case asparagus and peas) as well as punchy raw greens (watercress is a personal favorite, but baby arugula is also delicious).
This is just the kind of meal that tastes best eaten on the front porch or on a picnic blanket in the backyard. And the best part, it only takes twenty minutes from start to finish.
| 1 | pound lasagna noodles |
| 15 | ounces whole milk ricotta cheese |
| 2 | lemons, zested and juiced |
| 1 | tablespoon finely chopped mint |
| 3 | tablespoons minced chives |
| 1/4 | cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided |
| 1 | bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks sliced in half lengthwise |
| 1 | cup peas |
| 1 | handful basil leaves, roughly torn |
| 1 | bunch watercress or baby arugula, roughly chopped |
| 1/3 | cup pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan |
| 1 | pound lasagna noodles |
| 15 | ounces whole milk ricotta cheese |
| 2 | lemons, zested and juiced |
| 1 | tablespoon finely chopped mint |
| 3 | tablespoons minced chives |
| 1/4 | cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided |
| 1 | bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks sliced in half lengthwise |
| 1 | cup peas |
| 1 | handful basil leaves, roughly torn |
| 1 | bunch watercress or baby arugula, roughly chopped |
| 1/3 | cup pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan |
What's your favorite summer varation: eggplant, corn, tomatoes, lots of greens? Tell us in the comments below.
A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52's founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an indispensable playbook for stress-free meal-planning (hint: cook foundational dishes on the weekend and mix and match ‘em through the week).
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