Recipe: Fried Lasagna

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home

One of my favorite dishes at Olive Garden is their fried lasagna.On a whim, I tried to recreate it at home. After a few tries, I think I got it pretty close to the original. —Jolene Martinelli, Fremont, New Hampshire

Time Callout: Prep: 45 min. + freezing
Cook: 10 min./bath
Yield: 10 servings.
Serving Description: 2 lasagna rolls

Ingredients:

• 20 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 carton (32 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2-1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 6 large eggs, beaten, divided use
• 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
• Oil for deep-fat frying
• 2-1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce, warmed
• 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce, warmed

Instructions:

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions for al dente. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1-1/4 cups Italian cheese blend, mozzarella, 2 eggs and 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning. Drain noodles. If desired, cut off ribboned edges (discard or save for another use). Spread about 1/4 cup filling on each noodle. Starting with a short side, fold each in thirds. Place all on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Freeze just until firm, about 1 hour.

2. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, 2/3 cup Italian cheese blend and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Place remaining 4 eggs in separate shallow bowl. Dip lasagna bundles into eggs, then into crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.

3. Fry bundles in batches until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serve with marinara, Alfredo, the remaining Italian cheese blend and, if desired, additional Italian seasoning.

2 lasagna rolls: 876 calories, 54g fat (19g saturated fat), 195mg cholesterol, 1011mg sodium, 61g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 37g protein.