Tuscan cooking is characterized by simple food, not covered in heavy sauces made of butter or cream. Cooking is done with olive oil and fresh natural herbs like sage, rosemary and basil. Olive oil is the base for most salad dressings, drizzled over warm bread, used in soups and stews, and as demonstrated here Lasagna

 

Tuscan Spinach Lasagna

 

Ingredients

 

8 ounces lasagna pasta (8 sheets)

2 Cups of fresh spinach hand torn to prevent bruising (alternatively you can, in portion, roll the spinach like a cigar and slice         -------- with a sharp knife, but the tearing method is faster

1 6 oz bottle of marinated artichoke hearts drained (reserve the liquid)

1 Small onion sliced thin

1 small red pepper diced

2 ounces of sliced green olives

8 ounces button mushrooms sliced

1 Tbls chopped garlic

4 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces Parmesan soy cheese grated

4 ounces Romano soy cheese grated

4-5 leaves of fresh basil torn

pinch of rosemary

 

Preparation

 

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Mix the two cheeses and set aside. Sauté sliced onions and garlic in 2 Tbls olive oil until soft, add the diced red pepper and reserve liquid from the artichoke hearts cook for about 2-3 minutes covered at medium low setting, you don’t want to let the onions over cook. Turn the heat off and add the artichoke hearts and olives, stir, re-cover and set aside.

 

In a 4” x 4” x 8” oven proof glass baking dish start with a ¼ cup of the sauté mixture and layer two overlapping sheets of dry lasagna pasta and cover with 1/3 cup of the sauté, 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture and a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat the process ending with the last of the sauce and cheese mixture on top. Place covered in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has bubbled and browned slightly.