Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

When I first had Madeleine, I would have stopped eating if it hadn’t been for my mom. I’m not being dramatic; that’s the truth. I had every intention of cooking and storing meals in the freezer before the baby was born—knowing cooking would be the furthest thing from my mind—but she arrived 10 days early and I never had time since I worked up until the day she was born. Once she was here, given the choice between sleeping and cooking, I chose sleeping every time. I mean, obviously. But luckily, my mom, who is nothing short of a saint, cooked at least three meals a week for us and made sure I didn’t starve to death. (Thanks, Mom!)

If I HAD had time to prep meals before M, these spinach lasagna rolls* would have been one of them. This is actually one of the dishes I make for friends who have had babies! Since the filling is spread on individual pasta pieces and then rolled, they’re easy to bake all at once and then reheat as individual servings. (I always double the recipe so I have one to give and one to keep. I figure if I’m going through the effort of boiling lasagna noodles, I might as well make enough for everyone.) It’s a filling meal that feels intensely comforting without being too heavy. The fact that it’s ready to eat whenever hunger strikes is an added bonus that I think every new mother (or father) can appreciate.

*A word on this recipe: I don’t really believe in skim or low-fat dairy products, so I use full fat all the way. Also, for the sauce, I use the inimitable Marcella Hazan’s acclaimed Tomato Sauce. 

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