Ingredients:
- 1 batch seafood sauce
- 1 batch filling
- 1 ¼ pounds lasagna noodles
- ½ cup parmesan, grated
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
The seafood sauce requires 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 cups canned organic plum tomatoes; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ cup white wine; ½ cup fresh basil, chopped; 2 teaspoons fennel seed; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons Pernod; 2 whole Maine lobsters, boiled, de-shelled; 1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined, lightly poached; 1 pound scallops, cleaned, lightly poached; salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
For the filling, ingredients include 3 cups ricotta; 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp; 2 eggs; 10 ounces spinach, steamed, drained, chopped; 1 pound lump crabmeat, cooked, shredded; 1 red pepper, seeded, diced; 1 bunch scallion, greens only, sliced; ½ cup fresh basil, chopped; 1 ½ pounds mozzarella, thinly sliced; salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
To prepare the seafood sauce, heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onions. Once the onions have started to turn translucent and aromatic, add in the garlic and give a quick stir. Deglaze the pan with the wine and add in tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, fennel, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Don’t forget to stir here and there. (While this step is taking place, make the filling.) After 45 minutes, stir in the heavy cream and add in all of the seafood. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve for assembly.
To make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, whip the ricotta until smooth. Season heavily at this stage because ricotta and any dairy take a good amount of seasoning before its effect actually comes through. Whip in cream cheese and egg until combined. Using a spoon, mix in all other ingredients, including the lobster and adjust seasoning accordingly.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles as directed on packaging and cool in running water.
Grease a large baking dish or casserole dish with butter.
Now it is assembly time!
Place a thin layer of sauce without any seafood in it to cover the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of noodles. Add half of the filling, followed by half of the seafood sauce. Cover the sauce with a layer of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Now more noodles!
Add the rest of the filling and layer the remaining sauce topped with mozzarella and parmesan.
Finally, top with another layer of noodles, a little remaining sauce and a few pieces of mozzarella. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese, a little salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
Place this masterpiece into the oven and bake until browned and bubbly, about 50 minutes.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving to family and friends who will really have a reason to celebrate!