The Great American Slow Cooker Book (99 page)

TESTERS’ NOTES

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This is a no-fry eggplant parmesan, healthier but also fresher tasting.

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If you want to get really fancy, you can shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano with a cheese plane, layering the larger sheets in the casserole.

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Dried herbs give this casserole a comfort-food feel: less bright, more earthy.

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There’s no real way to predict the number of layers you’ll make based on the varying sizes and shapes of slow cookers. Just make sure you finish the dish with a layer of grated cheese.

1
Stir the tomatoes, ziti, broth, onion, both kinds of olives, basil, garlic, capers, anchovies, oregano, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes in the slow cooker.

2
Cover and cook on low for 2½ hours, stirring once after 1½ hours, until the flavors have blended and the pasta is tender.

TESTERS’ NOTES

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Puttanesca is a traditional Italian dish of olives, tomatoes, and other aromatics. Here, we’ve turned it into a “braising” medium for pasta, an exceptionally satisfying (and dairy-free!) vegetarian dinner.

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Mince the basil, garlic, capers, and anchovies—the strong flavors—so they become well blended in the sauce.

ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW
Why rinse capers after draining them in a little strainer over the sink? They’re packed in a salty brine, so rinsing them helps cut down on the sodium content of the final dish.

1
Puree the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and garlic in a covered large blender, scraping down the inside of the container a few times, until smooth. (You may have to work in batches for the largest set of ingredients.)

2
Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until they release their moisture and it reduces to a glaze, about 5 minutes.

3
Mix the spinach, mozzarella, ricotta, nutmeg, and pepper in a large bowl until fairly creamy.

4
Layer the casserole in the slow cooker. Start by spreading a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the cooker. Lay about a third of the lasagna noodles across the cooker, breaking them into pieces to fit in as even a layer as possible. Dollop half the cheese mixture on the noodles and spread it out with a rubber spatula. Top with half the mushrooms and a third of the remaining tomato sauce. Now repeat with half of the remaining noodles, all the remaining cheese mixture, all the remaining mushrooms, and half of the remaining tomato sauce. Finally, build the last layer with the remainder of the noodles, the remainder of the tomato sauce, and all the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

5
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is beginning to set. Uncover and let stand unplugged for 15 minutes before serving to firm up the casserole and bring the cheese down to mouth-safe temperatures.

TESTERS’ NOTES

•
Look no more—this is the lasagna that’s creamy but light, satisfying but best for springtime.

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The work here is getting the ingredients prepped for building the casserole—which is truly the most difficult part of this meal. Make sure the layers are even and as compact as possible without pressing down.

•
To spread the ricotta mixture evenly, dampen the spatula occasionally.

Serve It Up!
Since the casserole is pretty creamy, you’ll want a tame vinaigrette on a tossed salad. Here’s an easy
Raspberry Vinaigrette
: Spoon a 10-ounce jar of seedless raspberry jam into a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on low for about 1 minute, until melted. Whisk in ⅓ cup rice vinegar and ⅓ cup olive oil. Season with salt and lots (seriously, lots) of ground black pepper. This can be stored in a glass container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

1
Whisk the ricotta, pumpkin puree, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, sage, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl until fairly smooth.

2
Layer the casserole in the slow cooker: Start by spreading a thin but even smear of the ricotta mixture over the bottom of the canister. Top with a third of the noodles, broken as necessary to form as even a layer as possible. Top with a third of the remaining ricotta sauce, half the beans, and a third of the grated Gruyère, each in an even layer. Make a second set of layers with half the remaining noodles, half the remaining ricotta sauce, the rest of the beans, and half the remaining Gruyère. Finally, build a layer with all the remaining noodles, all the remaining ricotta sauce, and all the remaining Gruyère.

3
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is set. Scoop out spoonfuls—or let the casserole sit, covered, for 15 minutes to slice into wedges or squares with a nonstick-safe knife or spatula.

TESTERS’ NOTES

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This gooey, cheesy lasagna is actually not as thick as the other lasagnas in our batch, the better to hold its shape without any tomato sauce or meat.

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The beans actually give the casserole a little bump in flavor, their earthy taste and firmer texture balancing the pumpkin puree.

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Make sure you use pure pumpkin puree for this lasagna rather than a spiced pumpkin puree or (horrors!) canned pumpkin pie filling.

Serve It Up!
If you’re serving this casserole at a dinner party, you’ll want to start off with a vinegary dish to counter the richness to come. Offer
oven-roasted tomatoes
and chickpeas, drizzled with lemon juice and aged balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle minced mint leaves over each serving.

1
Squeeze the zucchini by handfuls over the sink to get rid of its excess moisture, then separate the threads and set them in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, carrots, nutmeg, and egg until uniform. Set aside.