S&S GAME PLAN

Spinach & Cheese
Lasagna Roll-Ups

with Spicy Marinara, Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Rosemary Focaccia

Cheesy spinach-filled lasagna rolled up individually, covered in homemade spicy marinara and baked until bubbling. Balsamic roasted cherry tomatoes bring the bite, while warm rosemary focaccia handles whatever sauce is left on the plate.

Spinach and cheese lasagna roll-ups date night with spicy marinara, roasted cherry tomatoes and rosemary focaccia

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SERVES

2

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PREP

25 MIN

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COOK

45 MIN

★

DIFFICULTY

★★☆☆☆

WHAT YOU’RE MAKING

Spinach & Cheese
Lasagna Roll-Ups

Balsamic Roasted
Cherry Tomatoes

Rosemary
Focaccia

THE DRINKS

Italian Gin & Tonic

PER PERSON
1½ oz gin
½ oz limoncello
4 oz tonic water
Ice
Lemon wheel
Fresh rosemary sprig

Fill a wine glass or rocks glass with ice. Add the gin and limoncello, top with tonic water, and give it one gentle stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel and rosemary sprig.

Wine Move — Chianti Keep it slightly cool. Chianti has enough acidity to work with the tomatoes without feeling heavy next to the ricotta and spinach. A solid $12–20 bottle is perfectly fine here. Give it about 15–20 minutes in the fridge before dinner. Red wine should not be Arizona-garage warm.

WHAT YOU NEED

Lasagna Roll-Ups

6 lasagna noodles
2 extra lasagna noodles for insurance
¾ cup whole-milk ricotta
¾ cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan
5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 egg yolk
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup mozzarella, for topping
2 Tbsp Parmesan, for topping
Fresh basil, for finishing

Don't Skip This — Dry Spinach
Frozen spinach holds a ridiculous amount of water. Thaw it, squeeze the hell out of it, then squeeze it again. Dry spinach gives you creamy filling instead of six little swimming pools.

Spicy Marinara

1 Tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼–½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt to start
½ tsp black pepper

S&S Move — Taste the Sauce
The sugar is here to round off the sharp canned-tomato bite, not make the sauce sweet. Taste near the end. Still too sharp? Add another teaspoon.

Tomatoes + Focaccia

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Small pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar, for finishing
Fresh basil
½ small bakery focaccia loaf
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Pinch flaky salt

Gear

Large skillet or saucepan
Large pot
Medium mixing bowl
9×9-inch baking dish or similar
Small sheet pan
Colander
Tongs
Wooden spoon
Chef’s knife + cutting board
Measuring cups + spoons
Clean kitchen towel or heavy-duty paper towels
Aluminum foil

BEFORE SHE GETS THERE

This isn't the night to discover at 7:15 that your colander is buried underneath twelve takeout containers. Get the kitchen ready. We're cooking fresh tonight, but we're not cooking stupid.

Get organized. Put the ingredients out and make sure you've actually got everything.
Thaw the spinach. Get it completely thawed so it's ready for the squeeze. We're cooking it tonight — we're just not waiting on a frozen brick.
Chop your stuff. Onion, garlic, rosemary and basil can all be ready to go.
Set out the cookware. Saucepan, pasta pot, baking dish, mixing bowl and sheet pan.
Get the drinks together. Gin, limoncello, tonic, lemon, rosemary and ice. Put the Chianti somewhere slightly cool.
Set the table. Two plates. Two glasses. Napkins. We're civilized tonight.
Get the kitchen clean. Starting with an empty sink makes the whole night easier.
Get yourself ready. Shower. Clean shirt. Cologne. Enough that she notices when she's close — not enough that the neighbors know you have plans.

Dinner isn't made yet.
But you damn well look
like you know what's about to happen.

Play

PLAY BY PLAY

START THE MARINARA
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ medium onion, finely chopped and cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and ¼–½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes and cook another 30 seconds. Garlic burns fast, so don't wander off now.
GET THE TOMATOES IN
Add 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes and 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano. Break the whole tomatoes apart with your spoon. Stir in 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt to start and ½ tsp black pepper. Bring it to a gentle simmer and leave it uncovered for about 25–30 minutes.

LEARNING POINT — WHY THE SUGAR? Canned tomatoes can have a sharp acidic twang. A little sugar doesn't make marinara sweet — it rounds off that canned-tomato bite. Start with the tablespoon, let the sauce cook, then taste it. Still too sharp? Add another teaspoon. Your tongue gets the final vote.

BOIL THE LASAGNA NOODLES
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook 8 lasagna noodles according to the package directions until just al dente. You only need 6, but two insurance noodles are cheaper than having a personal crisis because one tore.
MAKE THE FILLING
Squeeze every bit of water you can out of the thawed spinach. In a bowl, mix ¾ cup whole-milk ricotta, ¾ cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed, 1 egg yolk, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ tsp dried Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
ROLL 'EM UP
Drain the noodles and lay 6 lasagna noodles flat. Spread the spinach-cheese filling evenly over each noodle, leaving a little room around the edges. Roll each noodle from one short end to the other. Snug, not strangled.
BUILD THE DISH
Spoon enough of the prepared spicy marinara into the bottom of the baking dish to lightly cover it. Set the roll-ups seam-side down. Spoon more prepared spicy marinara over the tops, then finish with ½ cup mozzarella and 2 Tbsp Parmesan.
BAKE THE ROLL-UPS
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 8–10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted.
ROAST THE CHERRY TOMATOES
Toss 1 pint cherry tomatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper and a small pinch crushed red pepper flakes. Spread them on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for 15–20 minutes, until blistered and some have split.
HIT THEM WITH BALSAMIC AGAIN
When the tomatoes come out, toss them with another 1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. That last splash wakes everything back up.
WARM THE FOCACCIA
Drizzle ½ small bakery focaccia loaf with 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with ½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary and a pinch flaky salt. Wrap the whole thing tightly in aluminum foil and put it in the oven for about 8–10 minutes.

LEARNING POINT — WHY WRAP THE BREAD? The foil traps heat and a little steam, so the focaccia warms quickly and evenly while staying soft inside. Open the foil right before serving. Warm bread. Hot marinara. You know what to do.