Spinach Four Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 1 package fresh spinach, steamed
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 10 oz mozzarella, shredded, divided, 2 1/2 cups
• 3 oz finely asiago cheese
• 2 oz finely shredded Romano or parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Make the marinara first. Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and basil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce bubble gently for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Take the pan off the heat, cover it, and set it aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the noodles, and when they are cool enough for you to work with, lay them next to each other on parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. While the pasta cooks, wrap the steamed or thawed spinach in paper towels and press out some of the extra moisture, without squeezing it completely dry. Chop the spinach. In a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, egg, and parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, along with the asiago and Romano cheese.
4. Spoon a barely heaping 1/4 cup of the cheese filling over each noodle, spreading it evenly from end to end. Roll each noodle up toward the opposite end. Pour about 1 cup of the marinara into the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange the lasagna roll ups in the dish, spoon the remaining marinara over the top, and finish with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 28 minutes, until heated through.