Matzah Lasagna

March 9, 2022

For the seven days of Passover, leaven is a big no-no in nearly every home in Israel. In the absence of everyday staples like pasta and bread, Jewish people have become quite creative at adjusting favorite recipes by substituting leaven with matzah (unleavened bread). This colorful vegetable lasagna does just that, forgoing the pasta in favor of matzah sheets, thus making it a light, hearty meal, perfect for Passover.

Ingredients
For the sauce:
4 tomatoes, peeled and cored
⅛ cup olive oil
1 garlic bulb
1 onion
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
6 fresh basil leaves

For the filling:
1 small butternut squash
3 large carrots
1 zucchini
1 bell pepper
6 mushrooms
3 cups spinach
3 cloves garlic (minced)
⅓ cup parmesan cheese
1½ cups ricotta (or cottage cheese)
1½ cups mozzarella
5 sheets of matzah
Olive oil for frying

Directions
For the sauce:
1.Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
2.Peel and halve the onion. Cut the top off the garlic bulb.
3.Place the garlic bulb and onion halves on an oven pan, drizzle generously with olive oil and roast for 45 minutes until golden.
4.Remove the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb.
5.Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
6.Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes while preparing the filling.

For the filling:
1.Peel and dice the vegetables into bite-sized chunks.
2.In a frying pan, sauté the carrots, squash and garlic for 10 minutes.
3.Add the zucchini and bell pepper and sauté for another 10 minutes.
4.Add the spinach and mushrooms and sauté for another 3 minutes.
5.Combine the parmesan, ricotta or cottage cheese and 1 cup mozzarella.

Assembling the lasagna:
1. In a greased 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm.) pan, layer the sauce, vegetables, matzah and cheese mixture, starting and finishing with a layer of sauce.
2.Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top and bake at 425°F (210°C) for 30–35 minutes.
 Serves 6

Photo Credit: Click on photo to see photo credit