Low Fat Pasta Recipes

Ingredients:

12 oz dried lasagna noodles -or 1 pound fresh lasagna noodles
2 eggplants -about 2 pounds total -cut crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick - slices
1 1/2 tbsp salt -plus more to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cup low-fat 2% cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil -plus whole leaves for garnish
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese -1/2 ounce
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cup prepared spaghetti sauce
14 oz canned tomatoes, drained -seeded and chopped
2 tsp red-wine vinegar
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until barely tender
(8 minutes for dried, 1 minute for fresh). Drain and rinse under cold
water. Spread the noodles on clean kitchen towels, cover with plastic wrap
and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place rack in lower third of oven.

3. In a large bowl, toss eggplant slices with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt. Add
cold water to cover and place a bowl on top of the slices to keep them
submerged. Let soak for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse and pat dry.

4. Brush each of 2 nonstick baking sheets with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Spread
the eggplant slices on the oiled baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes,
or until browned on the underside. (If the baking sheets will not fit side
by side on the rack, use the middle rack as well and switch the positions
of the pans midway.) Turn the slices over and bake for about 7 minutes
more, or until browned on the second side.

5. Meanwhile, combine cottage cheese, garlic and cornstarch in a food
processor and process until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in
chopped basil and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Season with salt and
pepper.

6. In another bowl, combine spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and vinegar. Season
the tomato sauce with salt and pepper.

7. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or coat it with nonstick cooking
spray. Smear the bottom of the prepared dish with 1/2 cup of the tomato
sauce. Line the bottom with a single layer of noodles. Cover the noodles
with half of the eggplant slices. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce over
the eggplant, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan.
Top with another layer of noodles. Spread all of the cottage cheese mixture
over the noodles. Add another layer of noodles and the remaining eggplant
slices. Spread with 3/4 cup tomato sauce and sprinkle with the final
tablespoon of Parmesan. Finish with the remaining noodles and tomato sauce.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

8. Lightly oil a large piece of aluminum foil or coat it with nonstick
cooking spray, and use it to tightly cover the dish. Bake the lasagna for
30 minutes on the middle oven rack. Uncover the pan and bake for 10 to 15
minutes more, or until lightly browned and bubbling. Let stand for 10
minutes. Garnish with whole basil and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

350 calories per serving: 23 grams protein, 7 grams fat (2.9 grams
saturated fat). 50 grams carbohydrate; 935 mg sodium; is mg cholesterol; 4
grams fiber.

Busted by: Gail Shermeyer <4paws@netrax.net>



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Preparation Time: 0:00

Servings: 8