Let's Talk Lasagna! To Pepperoni or Not To Pepperoni

Tweet

I make lasagna about once a month. I cook "component style" so I make a lot of food that gets packed into individual portions so everyone can pick what they want to eat during the week when we're all on different schedules. When I make lasagna I usually do three trays; once they are cooked I let them come to room temperature then cut them into rectangular pieces so they can get packed in plastic containers. Before I put the slide into the container I add a two ounce scoop of sauce so that when it is reheating or defrosting there's plenty of sauce left over. Several of my neighbors love my lasagna and know when I am making it so they come by the next day with goodies of some sort and we do a food swap. One of the reasons why my lasagna rates higher than others in the neighborhood is the fact that I put pepperoni slices in between three of the layers. Not only does that give it an amazing taste but the oil from it keeps the noodles from drying out. Most of the people I know don't use pepperoni in their lasagna. To me that's completely foreign as that's how my grandmothers both made it. My recipe is simple; I don't boil the noodles and I don't buy the "no-boil" noodles either. I layer the uncooked lasagna, shredded provolone cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, pepperoni and sauce in a deep baking pan. If this is the first time you are doing it you need to play around with the direction of the noodles so you get the most coverage. Normally it is four layers of noodles but if I am using a glass square pan I will only do three layers so I don't end up with sauce bubbling out of the sides. Once assembled and topped with plenty of sauce I add about a quart cup of water along the sides of the lasagna and cover the top with aluminum foil. I bake for about 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven (but I always check the pieces with a toothpick to make sure it is cooked all the way). Have you ever had vegetarian lasagna? Do you use / like pepperoni in your lasagna? Would you like to try seafood lasagna?