This Italian Lasagna Bread is a fun crossover between bread and pasta! Crispy like flatbread on the outside, chewy like pasta on the inside...and 100% delicious!
Prep Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time3 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: bread, lasagna, pasta
Servings: 8slices
Calories: 367kcal
Author: David
Ingredients
For the Dough
¾tspsugar
¼tspactive dry yeast
½cup+ 2 Tbsp warm water
2cupssemolina flour
2Tbspolive oil
½tspkosher salt
For the Sauce
115-oz. cantomato sauce
1Tbspolive oil
2tspminced garlic
1tspsugar
1tspItalian seasonings
1½tspkosher salt
¾tspblack pepper
½cupbasil leaveschopped
For the Filling
6oz.whole milk ricotta
4oz.caciocavallo cheesegrated (see note)
3oz.provolone cheesegrated
2cupsbaby spinach
1Tbspolive oil
½tspItalian seasonings
Instructions
For the Dough
Using the bowl for an electric mixer, add sugar, yeast and water; stir until well combined. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Add semolina flour, olive oil and salt; mix on low speed until mixture comes together into a dough.
Increase speed to medium-low and mix for 3-4 minutes.
Transfer dough into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
For the Sauce
Using a small saucepan, add olive oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add tomato sauce, sugar, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper; stir until well combined. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil leaves; set sauce aside.
For the Filling
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper; set pan aside.
Transfer dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll dough into a 26”x18” rectangle. (Note: Dough will be very thin.)
With one of the longer sides facing you, imagine the dough is divided into 3 long rectangles. Spread half of the sauce down the middle third of the dough. Sprinkle half of the ricotta, caciocavallo and provolone cheeses on top of the sauce. Finally, sprinkle half of the spinach on top of the cheeses.
Fold the top and bottom thirds of the dough over so that they overlap in the center.
Spread the remaining sauce over the left two-thirds of the dough. Sprinkle remaining cheeses and spinach on top of the sauce.
Fold the right third of the dough (unsauced portion) back on top of the sauce. Fold the left third of the dough (sauced) on top. Finally fold the entire dough in half crosswise and place into prepared loaf pan.
Using a small bowl, combine olive oil and Italian seasonings. Brush this mixture on top of the dough.
Bake for 60 minutes. (Tip: Tent the top with foil after 40 minutes to prevent burning.)
Remove the bread from the oven and place inverted onto a cooling rack. Remove the loaf pan and parchment paper. Let cool upside-down for 15 minutes. Flip bread over and let cool for at least 15 more minutes before slicing.
Notes
Caciocavallo is a type of stretched-curd Italian cheese. If this specialty cheese isn’t available in your area, substitute provolone cheese instead.Adapted from Saveur Magazine.