This will either thrill you or scare the hell out of you: It’s a heart-shaped lasagna from the folks at Orlando-based Buca di Beppo. I think it’s all a little tongue in cheek, but if you’re not able to get a reservation this weekend at your Valentine’s favorite romantic restaurant, you’d better get cooking. Looking for Valentine’s Weekend specials? Look here. And here’s a list of restaurants we’ve noted as having romantic atmospheres. Enjoy.
Buca di Beppo’s Heart Shaped Lasagna By Executive Chef David Springett
• 9 Inch Heart-Shaped Cake Pan
• 1 1⁄2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 whole beaten egg
• 1⁄2 tbsp. of chopped parsley
• 2 tsp. of minced garlic
• 1 box of lasagna noodles
• 3⁄4 cup of marinara sauce
• 1 1⁄2 cup of Italian cheese blend
• 2 tsp. parmesan cheese
• 2 cups of meat sauce
Directions:
• Combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, minced garlic and chopped parsley in a bowl to make the ricotta filling.
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and drain.
• Spread 1/4-cup marinara sauce in bottom of an 8-inch heart-shaped cake pan. Cover marinara sauce with 1 layer of lasagna noodles (trimmed to fit
pan).
• Evenly spread 3/4 cup of the ricotta filling on the pasta sheet.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend over the ricotta filling.
• Cover the cheese with a layer of lasagna noodles and even out the filling
under the noodles gently with your hands.
• Ladle 1 cup of meat sauce over the pasta sheet and spread it evenly over the
pasta.
• Sprinkle 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.
• Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles.
• Evenly spread 3/4 cup of the ricotta filling over the noodles.
• Top ricotta filling with 1/4 cup Italian cheese blend.
• Cover the cheese with another layer of noodles and even out the filling under
noodles gently with your hands.
• Ladle 1 cup of meat sauce over the noodles.
• Sprinkle 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese evenly over the sauce.
• Wrap top of pan with plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil.
• Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 1 hour, 25 minutes
• Remove from oven, uncover and evenly pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce over
top. Sprinkle 1 cup Italian cheese blend over top.
• Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
• Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with chopped parsley, serve and enjoy!