Last Night's Dinner #106: Torn Lasagna with Squash and Cauliflower Sauce

Those of you who have been reading for a while know that I love Lidia Bastianich, I love how she shows the culture and people behind the dishes she makes. I got this recipe from one of her shows but decided to add a bit of bacon and do away with the capers (I wasn't in the mood for them.)

I love the idea of using leftover lasagna sheets, broken ones that usually get thrown away. In my case, I didn't have any leftover sheets so I just cracked half a box of sheets.



You'll need:
1/2 box torn lasagna sheets
1 cup of cauliflower florets
1 cup of butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 slices of thick slab bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion cut into slices
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 big can of plum tomatoes (about 2 cups), handcrushed
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta according to instructions.


step 1: Heat up oil and cook bacon until the fat is rendered. Add garlic, crushed pepper flakes and onions. Cook until onions are tender. Keep mixing so the garlic doesn't burn.


Step 2. Add cauliflower and squash. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add more olive oil if it looks dry.


Step 3. Add crushed tomatoes and juice.


Step 4. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. Taste to check if it requires more salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta into the sauce and mix thoroughly. Top with freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese. Drizzle some good olive oil prior to serving.