Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Lasagna Cupcakes

Lasagna Cupcakes with Mango Chutney


Amazing little treats you make in your muffin tins!
Can be served as an appetizer or entree!


Quick & easy to make!

Ingredients
Meat Sauce:
·         2 tablespoons olive oil
·         1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick or 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
·         4 whole cloves or 1/3 tsp ground cloves
·         1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
·         4 cloves garlic, minced
·         1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
·         1/4 cup tomato paste
·         1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes
·         1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 12 whole small leaves
·          
Ricotta Filling:
·         3/4 cup part-skim ricotta
·         3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
·         1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping
·         1/3 cup mango chutney
·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
·          
·         1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking up the clumps with your spoon. Cook until the beef or turkey is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the meat sauce to cool, about 15 minutes before building lasagna cupcakes. As the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the ricotta filling.

For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella and mango chutney. Season with salt & pepper.

To assemble the cupcakes: Pull out your favorite cupcake pan. If your pan is not nonstick, spray the cups with cooking spray. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup. Don't worry if you're using square ones.
Drop about 1 tablespoon of meat sauce into the bottom of each cup. Then add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling. Cover with another wonton wrapper, rotating it about 90 degrees so that the corners of the first wrapper and the second wrapper aren't right on top of each other. Repeat this until you've built 3 layers total (wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, Mozzerella, Parmesan) Finish each cupcake with a spoonful of meat sauce, a little shredded mozzarella and a pinch of grated Parmesan.
Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When time's up, resist the temptation to eat them right away or else you'll burn your mouth! Let them rest on the counter for about 10 minutes, and they should slip out of the muffin tin easily. Top with more shredded basil if you like.