Retro Recipe: Seafood Lasagna (revised December 2018)
This recipe is for TWO casseroles. It is a very rich, sumptuous once or twice a cold season kind of dish. Scrumptious. Great to take to a potluck or to pull out of the freezer as a royal treat on a cold day. It is inspired by the marvelous Best of Bridge.
Servings: 16 to 20
Ingredients
- 4 layers of lasagna noodles, per casserole
- butter, for preparing casserole dish
Ingredients for Cheese Basil Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 8 ounce or 250 gram packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups 1 litre 2% Creamed Cottage Cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons dry fragrant basil
- freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for Mushroom Vermouth Seafood Sauce
- 2 10 oz cans or 284 mL cream of mushroom soup (yup, you read this right)
- 3.5 ounces or 100 grams Vermouth or white wine
- 1/2-3/4 cup flour (depending upon liquid in sauce)
- 12 oz or 400 grams crabmeat (4 168 gram cans, well drained)
- 2 lb 1 kilo shrimp, deveined, cooked and patted dry
- 1/2 cup or 75 grams Parmesan cheese, grated
Ingredients for Topping
- 1 1/2 cup 350 grams aged Cheddar Cheese, grated
Instructions
Instructions for Preparing Noodles
- Generously butter bottom and sides of TWO 11x13 inch glass pyrex casserole dish and if using dried pasta noodles, cook as directed on the side of the box; drain well and toss with a little olive oil to avoid sticking while making the remainder of the dish. If using frozen or fresh flat pasta, no need to cook.
- Cover prepared bottom of each 11x13 inch casserole dish with pasta noodles and pre-heat oven to 350°F if baking (I often make ahead and freeze, then bake another day)
Instructions for Cheese Basil Sauce
- Saute onion in butter; add cream cheese, basil, salt and pepper and turn off heat when cream cheese is partially melted continuing to stir until cheese is fully melted via the retained heat of the pan
- Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix eggs into cottage cheese, then add to onion mixture and stir well to fulling incorporate all ingredients (There will be a little over 11 cups)
- Divide sauce by 4, approx 2 3/4 cups, and spread one portion of mixture over each first layer of pasta noodles. Cover with another layer of noodles
Instructions for Mushroom Vermouth Seafood Sauce
- In large bowl place mushroom soup with wine or vermouth and stir well to combine
- Strain crabmeat and shrimp to ensure all liquid is dispelled; pat shrimp dry and combine in medium bowl
- Add flour to crab/shrimp mixture (Note: add 1-2 tablespoons more flour per casserole if the seafood remains damp) ), stir to combine, then add to larger bowl with mushroom/vermouth and mix together
Instructions for Putting it all Together
- Divide seafood mixture, and bout 10 cups, into 4 (2 1/2 cups) and place a portion over the second layer of pasta noodles in each casserole. Spread to cover evenly
- Repeat layers:- noodles, cheese basil sauce, noodles, seafood sauce, ending with seafood sauce
- Sprinkle each with half of Parmesan and bake or freeze
Instructions for Baking
- Leave uncovered, bake at 350°F for 75 minutes, checking every 30 minutes and cover with foil to avoid over-browning, if necessary
- After 60 minutes in the oven, add half of the cheddar cheese portion to cover casserole; bake remaining 15 minutes until melted
- Remove from oven and rest 20 to 30 minutes to enable slicing without oozing, lightly tented with foil
- Slice into generous slabs, serve with a crisp green salad and enjoy!
Instructions for Freezing
- Wrap well with plastic wrap, cover with foil and freeze, clearly dated and labeled alongside cheese topping in labeled dated freezer ziplock bag to accompany the casserole
- After baking, also reezes well sliced and well wrapped in individual portions
Notes
This was one of dad's favourite meals.
I always make two, thus this recipe for two.
One for the day I make it and one for the freezer.
I have added a 500-600 gram bag of scallops (thawed, well-drained and patted dry) split between the two recipes, so likely 300 grams of scallops to each dish.
A delicious addition.