#gastronomia : Petite Lasagnas

canyoustayfordinner.com

By Can You Stay for Dinner

I find there’s a fine line between like and obsessed. A whisper-thin, sliver of a line. Take my reverence for Target, for example. What began nearly ten years ago as a casual, “Hey I really think that place is the cat’s pajamas” slipped almost too quickly into me considering ways to spend an entire weekend within its red doors. How lovely a weekend that would be.

My relationship with my muffin tin is similarly alarming. We can call it obsessive if we must. The thing is, I just can’t quite seem to help myself.

Because, I mean, well… everything can be cupcaked…made petite…muffined even. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert can all be popped, hot, from the twelve cup tin.

So then- shouldn’t they be?

I’ve moved beyond muffins…

sailed straight past mini cakes…

whipped apple cinnamon buns into cupcake shape…

settled a long-standing dispute with Hostess…

and now I’ve gone and whittled lasagna into onesies.

I can’t promise I won’t do it again. And I don’t even think I can be held accountable for my actions.

Not when I’m capable of transforming what was once a sort of daunting, mess-inducing, oh-what-will-I-do-with-all-those-leftovers, casserole into petite-sized portions.

Not when tomato sauce is spiced and chunky with crumbled turkey.

Not when I can finally find a use for those damn wonton wrappers.

And no, certainly not when creamy ricotta and melting strands of mozzarella are on the line.

Petite Lasagnas

recipe slightly adapted from Hungry Girl

(makes 12)

12 oz raw ground turkey

¼ tsp salt, divided

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped mushrooms

14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp dried oregano, divided

½ tsp dried basil

1 ½ cups part skim ricotta cheese

24 small square wonton wrappers (the kind near the tofu in the refrigerated section of the produce dept)

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Crumble the meat and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 tsp of oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, a pinch of salt and pepper, the remaining teaspoon of oregano, and the basil. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 wonton wrapper into each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides.

Using half of the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups. Next, using half of the turkey tomato sauce, spoon it evenly over each of the ricotta filled cups. Sprinkle with 2 tsp of mozzarella.

Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer.

Repeat the process by distributing the remaining ricotta, then the remaining tomato sauce, and finally the rest of the shredded mozzarella.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Let the cups cool, remove them from the pan, and serve!

Nutrition Info for 1 petite lasagna:

Calories: 181.2, Total Fat: 7.9g, Cholesterol: 41.9mg, Sodium: 389.5mg, Total Carb: 13.6g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 1.6g, Protein 14.1g

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