Vegetarian Matzo Lasagna
It’s never too early to plan the Seder menu or other dinners during Passover. This dairy-based, vegetarian lasagna will be a welcome addition during the eight-day holiday. Use matzo for the layers instead of pasta; they soften in the dish and you will not know it’s matzo. You’ll need eight or nine squares (6½ to 7 inches) to make three layers of a simple tomato sauce, sauteed zucchini, ricotta mixed with Parmesan, and fresh mozzarella. You can make all the components a day in advance, assemble the lasagna a few hours ahead, and bake it before serving with a green salad. 4 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium zucchini, cut into
¼-inch rounds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
1 pound whole-milk ricotta
cheese
1 egg
1 cup packed grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil (for the dish)
8 sheets (6½-to-7-inch squares)
matzo, and more if needed 12 ounces fresh mozzarella,
halved and thinly sliced 1. In a flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the zucchini is softened and starting to brown. As some of the zucchini slices are done, transfer them to a plate; this will leave more room for the remaining rounds to brown. Remove all the zucchini from the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Turn the heat to medium. When it is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until sizzling and starting to brown. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper, if you like. Set aside to cool for at least 20 minutes before using.
3. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, ½ cup of the Parmesan, parsley, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir until blended.
4. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Very lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
5. Spread about ¾ cup of tomato sauce in the dish, just enough to barely coat the bottom. Make a layer of matzos, using about 2½ squares, broken as needed to fit in one layer. Spoon half of the ricotta mixture in clumps on the matzos. Spread with a spatula to cover the matzo. Top with half of the zucchini slices, in one layer. Coat with about 1¼ cups of tomato sauce, spreading it to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle with onethird of the mozzarella. Repeat with a layer of matzos, the remaining ricotta, and the remaining zucchini. Cover with about 1¼ cups of tomato sauce and one-third of the mozzarella. Top with a final layer of matzos. Coat the top layer with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and remaining ½ cup Parmesan. (The lasagna can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
6. Cover the lasagna loosely with foil (it should not touch the cheese on top or it will stick). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, or until the lasagna is bubbling at the edges and golden brown. (Total baking time is 1 hour.) Remove from the oven and set in a warm place for 10 minutes.
7. With a long sharp knife, make 1 vertical cut and 4 horizontal cuts. Use a wide metal spatula to remove the pieces from the dish.