Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients
2 boxes dried flour or wheat lasagna noodles
1 large container ricotta cheese (I use the skim milk type)
3 tblspn minced garlic
1 tblspn extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pkg of chives thinly chopped
5 tblspn lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
3 cups baby spinach leaves (washed and destemmed)
5 thinly sliced deseeded tomatoes

Instructions

Noodles-
Start by filling a large pot with water, pinch of salt and ONLY a small splash of oil (I use Olive Oil) and set it to boil medium flame. Once the water is boiling quickly slowly start feeding the lasagna noodles into the pot. Let boil about 15 minutes until soft and plyable. When noodles are done boilig drain and separate either on parchment paper or other (They will stick together and become useless trust me).

Ricotta Filling-
While the water is set to boil, what I like to do is roast/fry (for all purposes I am saying roast) the diced garlic in a DRY frying pan (no oil, butter ect) On medium heat until the garlic starts to "Sweat". This makes the flavor spread all through the ricotta better. So roast it for about 5-7 minutes (do not let it burn so WATCH IT!!). Once garlic is sweating take off heat and add into the bowl with ricotta cheese, blend in the lemon juice (You may use more or less depending on your tastes.. I like strong noticeable flavors). Add also in the chopped up chives/green onions. Blend well and return to fridge to chill.
Optional Add-ins-
Salt & Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Lemon Peel, Sundried grated tomatoes
(I tried making this the day before and OMG the filling just gets better the longer its chilled)

Stuffing the noodles-
Noodles boiled and lightly dried? Check! Filing made and chilled? Check! Spinach washed and the stems plucked? Check! Now to slice the tops off of the tomatoes and de-seed them, then on to slicing thinly. Alright so we have our noodles cooked, the filing made and the vegetables ready. So now what we'll do is take a noodle slice in the middle so instead of one super LONG noodle we now have two (Cut horizontal NOT down the center). Once the noodles are cut in half and ready take a spoon full of the ricotta cheese mixture smear over one side of the noodle, cover with 2-3 spinach leaves, then one slice of tomatoe roll up and repeat.

You'll probably end up with WAY more cheese left overs, thats ok.. It is great on crackers in the morning ^.~.

-----
Now these can be eaten AS is. say like appetizers or you can actually make them then line them in a pan and cook covered in a sauce or in cheese. These also freeze really nicely so if you make a BIG batch you can freeze some for later, that would be great reheated by putting in the oven smothered in a sauce of your choice.