Simply Homemade Lasagna and Apple Cake
Building Blocks for Layers of Flavor
Words by Kayla Butts Photos by Rachel Benavides
The secret to delicious lasagna is in the layers- not just the layers of meat, cheese, and pasta, but in the layers of flavor from local farms. Good lasagna tastes like the place where it was made; the flavors should come from the local landscape.
This lasagna starts with ground venison harvested from the wild. If there is no venison on hand, try ground pork. Freshly-picked spinach and carrots add more layers of local flavor and powerful nutrition. Use cherry tomatoes for the sauce, or vine-ripened Roma grape tomatoes if available. Adding fresh basil and oregano take it to another level. The best lasagna tastes of the local land: the wind, rain, lightning, and soil. To build a beautiful lasagna, simply fold the flavors of local farms into the layers of pasta, then bake.
With ingredients this fresh, you can’t go wrong. This lasagna is great for potlucks and parties because it can be made a day or two in advance and reheated when ready to serve. It is even better after a day in the fridge. Lasagna is easy to transport, keeps well for days, and is irresistibly delicious. And most of all, this dish of local ingredients is healing and good for the soul.
The cinnamon swirl apple cake is made from Kiku organic apples. Kikus are the sweetest apples available, and using them means less sugar in the recipe, which means a much healthier cake than one would think! Depending on the season, fresh peaches or berries can be substituted for the apples.
Venison Lasagna
Serves 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb dry lasagna
- 2 T. olive oil
- ½ sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb venison
- 1 (13.76 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 T. balsamic vinegar
- ¾ t. salt
- ½ t. crushed red pepper
- 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
- 1 c. ricotta
- ½ c. mascarpone
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¼ c. fresh mint, chopped
- ¼ c. fresh basil, chopped
- ½ t. salt
- ¼ t. black pepper
- 6 c. fresh spinach
- 1 c. shredded mozzarella
- ½ c. parmigiano reggiano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Put a large pot of salted water on high heat to boil. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, sauté onion, carrots, garlic and venison in olive oil until meat is brown and vegetables are tender. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and red pepper. If needed, add water to thin out meat sauce. Let simmer on low heat while you make the remaining elements. Cook pasta in boiling water for 7-11, until al dente. Strain pasta and lay noodles on an oiled baking sheet. In a medium-sized bowl, combine ricotta, mascarpone, egg, basil, mint, salt and pepper. Steam fresh spinach in a double boiler for 3 minutes over simmering water. Add a bunch of fresh basil to the prepared meat sauce. To assemble, ladle meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13” casserole dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles, followed by the ricotta mixture and another ladle of meat sauce. Add a second layer of noodles and cover with an even layer of spinach, sprinkled with ¼ cup parmigiana. Top with another single layer of noodles. Repeat the first two steps of the sequence once more and top the lasagna with remaining parmigiana and mozzarella cheese. Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 25 minutes. Let it set 15 minutes before serving.
Cinnamon Swirl Apple Cake
Serves 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ c. brown sugar
- 1/3 c. vegetable oil
- 1 c. greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- 1 T. dark rum
- 1 t. vanilla
- 2 chopped apples
- 1 grated apple
- 2 ½ c. all-purpose flour
- 1 t. baking soda
Cinnamon Swirl Topping
- 3 T. melted butter
- 2 T. brown sugar
- 1 T. cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl or standing mixer, mix all ingredients (with the exception of those for the cinnamon swirl) until just combined. Transfer to a greased 9×13″ pan. In a separate small bowl, combine cinnamon swirl ingredients. Spoon cinnamon swirl on top of batter and use a knife or spatula to make big swirls across the pan. Repeat this technique going in the opposite direction to finish dispersing the mixture. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
