This is a family favourite recipe, everyone in the house loves it!
Growing up my mom used to make her lasagna with cottage cheese but no surprise there, she is Albanian haha! Albanians love their cottage cheese or gjize. So like my mama I make this with cottage cheese, but you can make it with ricotta. My kids prefer it this way and, well, so do I because it reminds me of my childhood.
For the bechamel I use a cube for seasoning. If I have veggie flavoured I use that, if I have chicken flavoured I use that (the one I use is actually vegetarian, just chicken flavoured). It gives a nice flavour to the bechamel and there is no need for added salt.
What you will need:
- 1 x 500 g package of lasagna noodles
- 2 x 500 g containers cottage cheese (I use 4%)
- 1 bag of fresh spinach
- 1 small shallot
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 680 ml can or jar of your favourite pasta sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 chicken or veggie flavoured cube
Rinse and dry the spinach, dice the onion and combine with the spinach, onion and feta cheese. I like to use my hands to break up the cheese and soften the spinach. You may add a touch of salt. Set aside.
Prepare the bechamel sauce. In a pot, melt the butter, add in the flour and chicken cube, and then stir in the milk and allow to thicken. I like my sauce runny for this so I add a splash of milk to thin it out a bit.
Boil your lasagna noodles but make sure not to over cook them. Rinse with cold water.
Now you can start assembling your rolls!
To start off, pour a few spoons of the sauce and drizzle some olive oil in a baking pan.
Then, out of the pan, lay your noodles flat and spoon over some cottage cheese and some spinach filling.
Roll up and place in the pan.
Once all rolled up, top with the rest of the sauce, bechamel and shredded cheese and bake at 375 for 45 to 50 minutes.