About Island Lasagna
Take your taste buds on a tropical journey with our Island Lasagna, where classic Italian comfort meets the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean. This hearty dish combines layers of tender lasagna noodles with a rich meat sauce seasoned with Jamaican jerk paste, fresh oregano, and Tuscan seasoning. Adding to the uniqueness, it features Jamaican callaloo, a leafy green that brings an island twist to this beloved comfort food. Perfect for those who love to explore new flavors, this lasagna is both familiar and refreshingly different.
Ingredients for Meat Sauce:
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1-pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
1/2-pound sweet Italian sausage, links (discard casing)
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk paste
1 medium yellow or white onion, small diced
1/2 large green bell pepper, small diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 ounces tomato paste
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt, to taste
Ingredients for Lasagna:
12 ounces no-boil lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 (19 ounce) cans Jamaican callaloo, drained and squeezed
24 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
Preparation
01Saute onion, peppers, and garlic in a large stock pot over medium heat in neutral oil until fragrant and just starting to soften.
02Add ground beef and Italian sausage. Break apart the meat into small pieces that are not lumped together with a wooden spoon and incorporate in sauteed aromatics. Season meat with all-purpose seasoning, and jerk paste. Cook, stirring constantly until all the meat is brown with no pink areas and the liquid has cooked off, about 10-12 minutes.
03Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crushed canned tomatoes. Season the sauce with fresh oregano, Tuscan seasoning, black pepper, and brown sugar. Taste for salt and add if needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from sticking to the pot. Remove from heat.
04Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
05To assemble the lasagna, in a 9x13 casserole dish, start to assemble the lasagna by spooning a layer of sauce at the base of the dish.
06Arrange lasagna noodles lengthwise in the dish. Remember these noodles do not need to be precooked and it is okay if the ends of them overlap.
07Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles. Add a layer of 1/2 of the callaloo greens on top of the sauce.
08Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese on top of the callaloo greens.
09Add half of the ricotta cheese on top of the mozzarella in dollops with a spoon.
10Sprinkle half of the grated parmesan cheese over the ricotta cheese.
11Add a second layer of noodles and add 1/2 of the remaining sauce. Add the other half of the callaloo greens on top of the sauce.
12Add 1/2 of the remaining mozzarella cheese on top of callaloo greens.
13Add the remaining ricotta cheese on top of the mozzarella cheese in dollops with a spoon.
14Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the ricotta cheese.
15Finish with another layer of noodles. Spread the remaining sauce on top and another layer of the remaining mozzarella cheese.
16Tent the lasagna with foil paper and bake for 45 minutes (or the recommended time on the brand of pasta you choose). Remove the foil paper and return the lasagna to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
17Remove lasagna from the oven and cool slightly before slicing and serving.
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