Serves 8
Zubriac is a cheese forward spinach lasagna that may be served as a main course or a side dish to accompany meat or seafood. Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain the original recipe’s source, but many people recall this dish from their childhoods in the 50s. Per Italy Magazine, lasagna’s origins go back in history and evolved and acquired variations before being “codified” into a classic meat sauce version most of us know today. The term lasagna was used in Roman times to refer to square or rectangular-shaped thin sheets obtained from a mixture of wheat flour before being baked or fire-cooked. Thus, forms of lasagna have been around for ages. This specific non-red sauce recipe was handed down to me many years ago by someone I worked for and admired. He and his wife Sally served this frequently at dinner parties, and I was told it always got rave reviews. One Christmas season, many years ago, I was lucky to be gifted the recipe and I have happily made it ever since. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) box lasagna noodles, cooked al dente per box instructions; drain and pat dry, rest noodles side by side in damp kitchen towels until ready to use (set aside)
2 pkgs. (12 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach
One stick (½ cup) softened butter, plus extra to grease the baking dish
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1 lb. extra creamy cottage cheese (Buy small curd or whiz regular through food processor to blend)
2 eggs
½ tsp. garlic granules (or garlic powder)
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper to your preference (we use white pepper)
1 lb. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Prepare noodles as described above. Set aside. Defrost frozen spinach. This may be done quickly in the microwave using the defrost cycle. It is not necessary to cook the frozen spinach, but it must be well thawed and drained. Squeeze out and discard all the excess liquid from spinach. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven preheats, generously grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Next, mix the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, garlic granules, 2 Tbsp. parsley, ½ cup butter, and salt and pepper to your liking. Begin to assemble layers in your greased baking dish. Layers will be repeated twice. Start with a layer of cooked lasagna noodles arranged side by side to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Then evenly spread one layer of the ricotta/cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Evenly top with some of the two grated cheeses. Spread a layer of spinach over the cheese layers. Repeat again starting with noodles. Once repeated, end with noodles topped with cheese.
Bake in a 350-degree oven on the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes. (Cover with aluminum foil if top is getting too brown.) Watch carefully and bake until cheese on top is melted and golden and lasagna is hot, cooked through, and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes to solidify before cutting. This prevents the cheese layers from running. If desired, garnish with additional parsley. Serve as a main meal with a tossed salad and garlic bread or as an accompaniment to your favorite meat or fish dish.
Sally’s tip: This lasagna may be assembled, wrapped, and frozen unbaked. When wrapped properly, the lasagna may last several months in the freezer. Once you decide to use your frozen lasagna, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove it from the refrigerator, take off the wrapping, and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes before following recipe instructions for baking.
Sources:
Bon Appetit – Dishes shared by Debbie (Recipe book)
Italy Magazine (A short history of lasagna)
Live Strong (Do I need to cook spinach before putting it in a lasagna?)