‎”I don’t even have a glass.” – a true pessimist.

Need a pick me up?

Need a quick and edible pick me up?

Make these Lasagna Stacks.

I love lasagna, but don’t make it nearly enough because my favorite versions take a bit of time.

Not so with these Creamy Pesto And Cheese Lasagna Stacks. No-boil lasagna noodles speed things up. Arugula and lemon in the creamy, cheesy ricotta mixture liven things up. The pesto gives the perfect flavor boost.

Creamy Pesto And Cheese Lasagna Stacks

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
6 oz (about 6 cups) baby arugula
1 lb (2 cups) ricotta cheese
1 1/2 oz (about 3/4 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp grated lemon zest
salt and pepper
2/3 cup (7 oz) basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
8 oz (2 cups) mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to the uppper-middle position and heat oven to 450℉.

2. Brush oil over the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

3. Place noodles in a large baking dish or heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 10 minutes, stirring noodles occasionally so they don’t stick together.

4. Meanwhile, place arugula in microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop. Set aside.

5. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, lemon zest, arugula, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

6. Remove the noodles from water and arrange in a single layer on a kitchen towel. Pat lightly to dry.

7. To assemble the lasagna stacks, arrange 4 noodles on oiled baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of pesto over each one. Spread 1/4 cup of ricotta mixture evenly over the pesto. Sprinkle with 2 heaping tablespoons of mozzarella, then repeat with one more layer of noodles the layers, remaining pesto, remaining ricotta and 2 heaping tablespoons of mozzarella. Finish with remaining layer of noodles, remaining mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan to make 4 stacks.

8. Bake until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown and the filling is heated through, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then cut each stack in half cross-wise. You can use a spatula to stack 2 halves on top of each other, and repeat with the rest of the noodles to create 4 stacks or serve a single stack to serve 8. A mixed green salad is a good accompaniment.

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Here is some quiet, dreamy music for Sunday.

“So Far So Long” is from Nightlands’ forthcoming album ‘Oak Island’.

Check out Nightlands on the Website. You can buy the music on Bandcamp and over at Secretly Canadian, where you can also learn about two upcoming gigs in Brooklyn and Philadelphia.

Cheers!