Recipe

September 22, 2022

Lasagna Alla Vodka

Recipe: Tieghan Gerard

Total Time: 80 minutes

“When I’ve got a group of people coming, I turn to lasagna. This version has become my favorite because it’s delicious and adaptable. Instead of the usual marinara sauce, I swap in my vodka sauce.”

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lasagna noodles
  • 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 cup tomato paste
  • 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1⁄2 cup vodka (I like Tito’s)
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
  • 3⁄4 cup pesto
  • Fine pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp salted butter or ghee
  • 1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
  • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Directions

Yield: Serves 6

Make Pasta and Sauce

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 11⁄2 cups of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. When oil shimmers, add shallots, garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until paste is incorporated and turns dark red, 1 to 2 minutes more.
  3. Stir in vodka and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and pesto to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter, stirring to melt. If your sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta cooking water, 1 tbsp at a time, as needed. Simmer until flavors are melded, about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan and basil. Remove pan from heat.

Assemble Lasagna and Bake

  1. Spread 1⁄4 of sauce in 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Top with lasagna noodles, overlapping to create even layer. Dollop half of ricotta, half of spinach and then another 1⁄4 of sauce. Repeat noodle, ricotta and spinach layers, and add another 1⁄4 of sauce. Top with noodles to cover, and finish with remaining sauce. Sprinkle provolone over top.
  2. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Discard foil and bake until cheese is bubbling and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes. Top with Parmesan and fresh basil, and serve.
Source:

Half Baked Harvest: Every Day by Tieghan Gerard