4 Cheese and Spinach Lasagna

Source- Food Network

This was our Valentine's Day Dinner.   About a week before I asked H if there was something specific that he wanted for Valentine's Day Dinner.  He requested pasta or lasagna.  I have a pretty standard recipe for making lasagna, so I went in search of something a little more for the special night. 

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 dry lasagna noodles (not no-boil)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 pound cottage cheese (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or a combination
• 1 pound pre-shredded mozzarella, shredded (about 4 cups)
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (omitted)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (omitted)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (omitted)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4 cups tomato sauce, recipe follows, or your favorite jarred (I made my own homemade sauce)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously.
• Add the lasagna noodles and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
•  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until the garlic begins to brown.
• Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and stir until the spinach dries out and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Cool.
• Mix the cottage cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan/Pecorino, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, cayenne, and cooled spinach in a bowl. 
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• Stir in the egg.
• Cover the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch casserole with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Cover with 3 of the noodles placed side-to-side, but not overlapping. Top with a 1/4 of the cheese mixture and about a half cup of tomato sauce. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat to make 2 more layers. 
• Scatter the remaining 2 cups mozzarella on top. 
• Bake, uncovered, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. 
• Let lasagna stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Next Time-This was pretty good, and an easy change from how I normally make lasagna.  This did have a slightly funny taste, so I think I may not cook the garlic with the spinach next time.  Just mix those 2 ingredients in with the cheese mixture.  And make sure the spinach is thoroughly drained before mixing.  I think having spinach in my lasagna could easily become my new standard.